(For the audio version of this blog, please visit: https://brothersinchristcmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mass-Blog-for-the-17th-Sunday-of-Ordinary-Time-2024.mp3)
Accomplishing unity from among humanity’s multitude of personalities would have been a miracle in any era. So consider the miracles Elisha and Jesus pull off in this Sunday’s readings (2 Kgs 4:42-44, Jn 6:1-15). Both fed multitudes of people from the limited resources at their disposal, and both managed those miracles relying on divine supply chains.
A supply chain is a single entity made up of multiple units that act together as one, achieving the strength and security to meet a need. But any such chain is only as strong as its weakest link. For Elisha and Jesus, the true miracle in feeding multitudes using a few loaves of bread was forging chains of grace among recipients who were strong enough to distribute God’s peace through succeeding generations of consumers.
God has always been the source in all supply chains serving world populations. But supply chains don’t work just one-way. They must accommodate returns, and that’s what perpetual Eucharistic adoration is all about. It ensures that the supply chain of divine blessing we receive in the Eucharist remains unbroken in both directions—in Christ’s holy sacrifice of the Mass and in the holy gratitude we send back via any Eucharistic adoration chapel.
Nowhere is that reverse supply chain stronger than at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Montmartre, Paris, where perpetual adoration has continued uninterrupted since August 1st, 1885 (including during WWII’s bombings and the coronavirus crisis). It serves as a model for adoration chapels around the world (like ours at St. Michael’s). In these spaces, recipients of the Eucharist’s sustenance are able to return its remnants of grace to God, as transformed by our hearts into the peace we recirculate to the souls surrounding us. God loves these leftovers because we add so much to them.
In this Sunday’s second reading, Paul calls us to share the peace he was able to extract from Christ’s gift—even from within the prison cell he converted into an adoration chapel.
I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit. (Eph 4:1-6)
In the unity of God’s supply chain, nothing is wasted—because there’s always plenty of grace leftover to share—and thereby return to Sender.
–Tom Andel
The supply chain of God’s Grace helps us understand God’s Plan for us.
Right on Ron. That chain of grace sets us free to share God’s love with each other. That’s The Plan.
Clearly the Lord supplies us with all we need. The air we breathe, plus food and water for physical nourishment. Most reading this have a solid roof over our head and probably indoor climate control, as well. From a physical sense, we lack for nothing.
Therein lies the problem for most of us. We simply have it too stinking good, thus we take our eye and sadly our hearts away from what matters most, a solid committed and active relationship with Jesus Christ.
There is nothing inherently bad with comfort, but the more we have, the more we want. Then it’s all we care about.
We all know there is only one goal worth setting: heaven for eternity. What must we do to orient our lives in that direction?
Simple, not easy!
Agreed, Thomas. We tend to take our blessings for granted. We’d do ourselves a favor by realizing there’s NOTHING we can do to guarantee heaven. We worship a God of grace. If the key to heaven were in our control, our motive would be getting ourselves in rather than getting on with each other. You’re also right that it’s not easy living God’s love. Otherwise, we’d have heaven on earth and whatever comes after death we’d happily leave in God’s hands. How’s that for a goal?