August 2, 2008
18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
GOSPEL: FEED THE HUNGRY
If you travel to the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus, in Turkey, you will see “wagon wheel” symbols carved in the doorways of the homes of the early Christians. These eight-spoked wheels were a secret, Christian symbol made by drawing a circle and slicing it into quarters and then into eights. It looks like a pizza. The marks are a combination of the letters IXOYE, which spell the word “fish”, or ichthys in Greek. These letters also stand for “Jesus Christ Son of God Savior.”
After Jesus fed 5,000 people with only two fish and five loaves, it is on wonder that a fish would become the Christian symbol, reminding followers of that great miracle. This story in today’s Gospel and other fishing references we hear in the scriptures are continuing reminders of Jesus’ ministry among us.