18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

In today’s Gospel, the disciples heard the discouraging news that they only had five loaves and two fish with which to feed a crowd of more than 5,000. Night was falling, and there was nothing else to eat. The situation seemed hopeless. Jesus said, “Bring the bread and fish here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. On August 5, 2010 the Copiapo Mine in Chile caved in. Suddenly, 33 miners were trapped in the darkness. No one in recorded history has survived as long trapped underground. For the first 17 days, no one even knew if they were alive. In the weeks that followed, the world was captivated by their endurance and unity. It was a time when the situation seemed hopeless. But their dramatic recovery reassures us that all things are possible with God. Slowly, we are beginning to get the idea that God will take care of us.

Deacon Dick Folger