Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark’s Gospel differs from the other three in that there are two miracles of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. Both stories are charged with biblical numerology – numbers that cue us into seeing a deeper significance. For example, twelve baskets leftover equal the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and the seven baskets leftover represent the number associated with perfection.
Of greater consequence to Jesus today is that He can repeat obvious miracles. Thus, no one can possibly doubt His divine authority. Yet, the Pharisees are hypocrites because they say they look for signs from God but they are unwilling to accept Jesus’ teaching because of so many other things that offend their religious sensibilities. One of the things that offend them is that Jesus eats with public sinners.
Today Noah holes up with his family in the Ark, as the only exponent of just humanity surrounded by the wicked. As we approach the Season of Lent, we may feel that we’re going into the Ark of the Church for forty days and nights amid the storms of a sinful world. Yet Noah was called a man great in his own age, whereas his descendants Abraham and Moses were called great men of all ages. Why? Because Abraham and Moses both begged God to spare those who transgressed (cf. Gen. 18:16-33; Ex. 32:9-14).
As we strive for repentance within the Church, we turn an eye to those who have fallen away and those who do not yet know Christ. We trust that God can repeat great conversions the likes of which we’ve seen in Saints Paul, Augustine, Edith Stein, and Servant of God Dorothy Day. As we seek to receive the Bread from Heaven worthily, we ask that it may also become the Medicine of Immortality for many.
Reflection by Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections