Essential workers

 What were Jesus and His disciples to do with a large crowd in a deserted place, and very hungry after spending three days with them?  There just wasn’t enough bread for them [Mark 8:1-10].

Jesus was “moved to pity for them…If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way.”  Incidentally, in the early days of the Jesus movement, Christians were simply known as “people of the way, or on the way.”

Something strikingly similar occurred in March 2020 with the onset of pandemic Covid 19.   All work abruptly stopped, businesses closed, people lost jobs.  The most vulnerable were the hardest hit.  Funds dried up for non-profit organizations serving the poor, homeless, the elderly and homebound.  There just wasn’t enough bread for them, so to speak.  So many of God’s people surely would surely “collapse on the way” for lack of food or spiritual nourishment.  How will today’s disciple respond?  By ignoring them?  Too many people, not enough bread?

Jesus challenged His disciples to stretch their faith.  In Eucharistic fashion, Jesus blessed the seven available loaves, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the hungry crowd.  Rather than distributing the loaves Himself, Jesus directed His disciples to take up this ministry of service.  And “they ate and were satisfied.”

Throughout the darkest days of the pandemic, many “essential workers” were the de facto disciples of Jesus in this Gospel.  Restaurants continued to cook nourishing meals, many of them donating free meals to the homeless and homebound.  These meals nourished, not only bodies, but souls in need of hope of those on the way that looked so dark.  Grocery stores and other retail outlets continued to serve the public through special home delivery or self-serve pick up programs.  Countless health care workers put in millions of overtime hours without regard to increased paychecks and at the cost of lost time with their families.  The examples go on and on.  The number of people who generously donated money and volunteered time are legendary.

Not too long ago, Pope Francis was asked: “How does prayer work when people are hungry?”  “You pray for the hungry,” the pope responded. “Then you feed them.  That’s how prayer works.”

The pope was echoing the words attributed to St. Augustine: “Pray as though everything depends on God.  And work as though everything depends on you.”

Just so.  In faith, Jesus will bless and break our seemingly meager bread.  And in faith, we are to go out and share this bread of life with all in need.

My providential Lord, You know my every need and are concerned for every aspect of my life. Help me to trust You so completely that I always put my love of You as my first priority in life. I do believe that if I can keep You and Your will as the most important part of my life, all other necessities in life will fall in place. Jesus, I trust in You.