What it means to be Catholic

Jesus takes pity on the crowd.  He knows that they’re starving.  He decides to feed them.  The disciples turn it into a supply problem; they ask Him, "Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?".  They’re with the author of life and they are telling Him, "We can't feed this crowd with what we have."  When we are isolated and famished for a communion with our God, we too can lose hope and say, "You can't feed me.  I'm too impatient, or sad, or angry, or busy."  Sometimes we even get angry with God, because we blame God for not giving us what we think we want.  Jesus just tells them, "Give them what you have."  He says, in effect, "I'll make it work. I'll do the feeding.  I am the Lord of communion." (Mark 8:1-10)

To me, this Gospel reading shouts what it means to be a Catholic.  It’s Eucharistic in its meaning.  At the Eucharist during every Mass, Jesus is feeding the hungry crowds.  Is every parish perfect?  No.  Is the music wonderful?  To some.  Music is pretty subjective.  Is everyone as welcoming as they might be?  We can only hope.  Is the homily as nourishing as I'd like?  Not every time, to be honest.  Jesus just says to us, the Church, the People of God, "Give them what you have.  I'll make it work.  I'll do the feeding.  This bread and wine is my body and blood, given for your nourishment and life, for communion with me, for your self-giving love for each other, for those most in need.  Be broken and poured out yourselves now, fed by this food."  



When the Holy Spirit draws us to this table of plentiful good food, our hunger is filled and we are brought home again, refreshed and renewed.  When God asks us, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9) we can answer, "I'm at home.  In You.  With my family.  At home, in the mist of all the sad, broken, divided, messy things of the world, because I'm at home in You.”  



I don't want to be filled with what can never really satisfy me.  I want to love and forgive, to be compassionate and generous.  I want to be patient and to build bridges.  Eating the right food will give me a peace and a fire that nothing else in the world can offer.  If we let it, the Bread of Life is our food for a Mission of communion with Jesus.  Let's ask for that grace; one He wants to give us.  And, let's be careful what we hunger for and consume.