Word to the Wise
Friday, April 20, 2007 - Friday in the Second Week of Easter
[Acts 5:34-42 and John 6:1-15]When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle or sign of Jesus that appears in all four gospels. Yet, as usual, the version in John has a different purpose. The "synoptic" gospels have a strongly eucharistic flavor to them. In John, the issue is the identity of Jesus in relationship to his "signs." We are told that the crowd followed him because they had seen the signs he was working. They recognize the multiplication of the loaves as another "sign" and they are ready to proclaim him King! Of course that would have gotten Pilate on them in a jiffy! Furthermore, Jesus could see that the faith of many was in the signs and not in Him! There is a strong tendency among some Catholics to make signs and wonders the evidence of God's existence or presence or favor. For some reason the ordinary and everyday heroism or kindnesses just aren't "proof!" Jesus' own exasperation with this "sign-faith" is expressed on a number of occasions. Signs are meant to point to something else. Worshiping the sign is to miss the point! The multiplication of the loaves and fishes points to Jesus as the living bread, not as the miracle baker! AMEN