Are you open to receiving even more than what you think you want? - Daily Reflections May 2,2014

WHY SO MANY LEFTOVERS?

 

Sometimes I wonder why there are so many leftovers after the feeding miracle. We see this in all the different Gospel accounts of this miracle. This miracle is the only one that appears in all of the Gospel accounts. Each of the Gospel writers attests to the many leftovers, so we are left to ask ourselves: Why are there so many leftovers?

       Perhaps one of the reasons for the excess in the food is to demonstrate the bounty of God — that is, God does not just provide enough. He provides far more than we would need because that is the God that He is — a God of abundant love, mercy and providence. This abundance is supposed to give us confidence that God will be equally abundant with the graces we need to sustain our spiritual lives and, if not equally abundant, then even more so.

       God did not create us just to abandon us after we let Him down through our sins. He will never abandon us, no matter how far we stray from His presence. He will always seek us out and woo us back into His presence. The abundance of God’s love for us is the reason behind the abundance of food when Jesus performs the feeding miracles. As such, let us reflect upon this message as we consider today’s Gospel.

       God’s love is something we should not place a measure on, as this only limits our capacity to receive from His infinite store of love, grace and blessings. Yes, we are limited in our capacity to receive due to our mortality, but let us not personally decide where these limits might be as I am sure that God has other ideas. After all, being our Creator, He has the capacity to increase our capability to receive His love. The message of Isaiah in Chapter 54, where we are told to increase the size of our tent, is an indication of this. Let us never limit God with our own limited expectations and shortcomings. Let us be as expansive as we can in order to receive all that He has for us. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What are your expectations when it comes to receiving the graces and gifts that God has for you? Are you open to receiving even more than what you think you want?

 

Jesus, help me to expand the horizons of my thoughts and visions as to Your call upon my life so that I would never limit You from using me to do Your will in building Your Kingdom..