A lot of times we know what we should do, but we just don’t think we can do it. As a result, we cop out and take the easy path, hoping someone else will take care of it. In this edition of By Your Life, we’ll discuss the challenge of just doing it, even when you don’t think it is possible.

Mass Readings Audio
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/2019/19_06_23.mp3

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – June 23, 2019

Welcome to the sixty-fifth episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life. If you haven’t already, please sign up for notifications on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Himalaya, or wherever you listen, or on the right side of this page so I can let you know when each new episode is posted. And please forward to a friend, if you think they would benefit from By Your Life.

My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular, business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Gospel reading was Luke’s account of the Feeding of the 5,000. We often think of this as one of Jesus’ greatest miracles, but was it?

I took a class on Biblical Literary Styles and interestingly, Luke wasn’t sharing a miracle story, according to biblical scholars and Margaret Nutting Ralph, the author of And God Said What?: An Introduction to Biblical Literary Forms. Biblical scholars agree that miracle stories were told to answer the question of Jesus’ identity. For the story to be classified as a miracle story, five things happen. First, a problem is clearly stated; then, the problem is brought to Jesus’ attention; Jesus is described as acting to solve the problem; Jesus’ action resolves the problem; and finally, the crowd reacts to Jesus’ powerful act. When these components are present the literary form of the story is what we call a miracle story. This is important because the literary form affects the meaning, so bear with me while I stray from Sunday’s readings for a few minutes to explain.

In Mark’s Gospel 4:35-41, Jesus calms a storm at sea. The problem was clearly stated, “A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.” (Mk 3:37) But Jesus was asleep so they woke him up and brought the problem to his attention saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 3:38) Jesus is described as acting to solve the problem when he “said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’” (Mk 3:39) Jesus’ action resolves the problem and “The wind ceased and there was great calm.” (Mk 3:39) Finally, the apostles react to Jesus’ powerful act. “They were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?’” (Mk 3:41) In this event, we have all the components of a miracle story with the purpose of explaining who Jesus is, in this case, someone whom even the wind and sea obey.

In Luke’s Gospel account of the Feeding of the 5,000, however, although the problem was clearly stated and brought to Jesus’ attention when “The Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” (Lk 9:12), instead of acting to resolve the problem, Jesus says, “Give them some food yourselves.” (Lk 9:13) This is not a miracle story that is shared to reveal who Jesus was. Instead, according to Margaret Ralph, “the story includes homiletic details…that function to help listeners understand the good news in the context of our own lives.”

So, you may be thinking, “Lisa, you mean Jesus didn’t really feed the multitude?” No, that’s not what I’m saying. We’re pretty sure that happened because some form of the story appears in all four Gospels. But, what may be disturbing to some is that he may not have miraculously multiplied the five loaves and two fish to do it. Whether he did or not is not the point of the story. Remember, form affects the meaning and if Luke’s telling of the Feeding of the 5,000 is a homily and not a miracle story, his intent is to explain how the good news is to be lived in our lives.

Luke writes about this event right after telling us how Jesus “summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal [the sick]. Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.” (Lk 9:1-2, 6) “When the apostles returned, they explained to him what they had done. He took them and withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida. The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him.” (Lk 9:10-11)

Luke tells us the amazing things the apostles had done when they were sent, and when they come back, they turn to Jesus to take care of the people’s needs. But then, what happened? Did Jesus act to solve the problem? No, instead, “He said to them, ‘Give them some food yourselves.’” (Lk 9:13) Luke doesn’t tell us what Jesus is able to do, rather he writes about what the disciples are willing to do. But, “They replied, ‘Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.’” (Lk 9:13)  Then, Jesus said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” (Lk 9:14) And in doing so, Jesus refocuses the apostles from dismissing the crowd to helping them.

What is the significance of this event, what does it mean from a post-resurrection perspective, and how do we apply it in the context of our lives? We can hear that Luke uses eucharistic language as he describes Jesus giving thanks, blessing, breaking and distributing the loaves and fishes, and so, he is encouraging his readers and us to “Do this in remembrance of me.”(1 Cor 11:24) The good news calls us not only to share in the sacrament and “eat this bread and drink the cup,” (1 Cor 11:26) but to share the mission and feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and care for our brothers and sisters.

In general, we are not uncaring people, but how often are we like the apostles? We see others in need and think, “How can I help? I should send them to a charity that will help them.” We might also pray for them, asking Jesus to solve their problems. But Jesus is not satisfied with this response. He says to us, “Give them some food yourselves.” (Lk 9:13)

I had lunch with a client the other day. He is the director of a non-profit that helps families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency. They provide families with apartments style housing for two months while offering other wrap-around services to help their clients find employment and address other needs. I asked him what the biggest obstacle to employment was. Interestingly, it wasn’t passing a drug test or background check, although some people do face this problem. The biggest issue, he said, is passing the credibility check. Most of these people do not have a credible employment history so employers are not willing to take a chance on them. I immediately thought about this week’s Gospel. You feed them. You house them. You hire them. You mentor them. But how can I?

In today’s world of essentially full employment, it is sad to think that good people with a desire to improve their lives’ circumstances cannot find a job. Employers are struggling to fill open positions, yet their systems and processes will screen out viable candidates before they are even noticed. Applicant tracking systems that screen applications for keywords and phrases robotically eliminate anyone who doesn’t present themselves in just the right way. But we are not robots and people are not a summary of keywords and phrases. We are Christians and these are our brothers and sisters. He is calling us to love them as He loves us.

I can almost hear your thoughts. “But, Lisa, we have work to get done. We’re not a charity. We must earn a profit to stay in business. We have a hard enough time serving our customers, how can hire and train unqualified people?” My response is you will always be training your people, or you should be. Think about the difference between the loyalty of a person who can go anywhere to get a job, and someone who was turned down until you gave them a chance.

A friend of mine told me a story about when he was starting his business. He was struggling to grow his client base when someone introduced him to a woman who needed a job. At the time, he didn’t really have a position for her, nor did he think he had enough business to support a full-time employee. But, his heart told him to hire her and he did, thinking that he was helping someone in need. Two years later, this woman has become his right hand. She manages all his operations and he doesn’t know what he’d do without her. Jesus said, “You hire her!”, and my friend said, okay.

This school year, Cristo Rey Tampa High School will be graduating it first class of seniors. This school is a part of the Cristo Rey network of Catholic schools, the largest network of high schools in the United States whose enrollment is limited to low-income youth. What makes Cristo Rey unique is the Corporate Work Study Program where companies hire a team of four students to fill a full-time position. The students earn their wages and assign their pay to offset the cost of their tuition. While there is an economic benefit to the program, the greatest benefit to the students is the mentoring and experience they get in a professional work environment. As a result, Cristo Rey graduates enroll in college at a rate of 1.4 times greater than other low-income high school graduates.

But without the corporate partners, the Cristo Rey High Schools would cease to exist. It is because individual people in each of these corporate partner companies decided to respond to the need and hire a team of students, lives are being transformed. Jesus said, “You hire them!”, and Cristo Rey High School partners said yes.

I have another friend who was moved by all the people who lost their jobs during the economic downturn that began in the late 2000s. At the time, he was working for a major corporation but didn’t have the ability to hire people in any way that would make a dent in the unemployment problem. But he kept hearing a call that said to him “You help them.” So, he started a ministry to help people in job transition. He helped them write résumés and practice interviewing. He brought in experts to speak on different topics from using the internet and LinkedIn to goal setting, confidence building, and attitude development. Ten years later, his ministry is still going, although thankfully, they only need to meet monthly now instead of weekly. Jesus said, “You help them!”, and my friend responded I will.

The thing is my friend didn’t single-handedly help these people in career transition. They helped each other. Participants in the weekly sessions encouraged each other, gave each other advice, offered to make introductions for the other job seekers. They also found reassurance in knowing they weren’t alone. This is likely what happened when the 5,000 were fed. The apostles gave what they had, and then the crowd started sharing what they had, and there was more than enough for everyone.

Jesus is as present to us today as he was to the apostles. Certainly, he is present in the Eucharist we received at Mass this weekend. When we respond to Jesus’ call, he doesn’t leave us to go it alone. He is there to strengthen and guide us. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus doesn’t instruct the crowd himself. He tells the apostles, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” (Lk 9:14) He doesn’t distribute the food himself. After “taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.” (Lk 9:16) Jesus was there directing them each step of the way. He is here for us too. We just have to be willing to give him what we have. He’ll do the rest and there will be an abundance of blessings left over—twelve wicker baskets full. (Lk 9:17) Guaranteed!

Like the apostles who offered what they had, Jesus empowers us to act when we are willing to give what we have. So, can you hire someone who just needs a chance to start over? Jesus will empower you if you are willing to offer what you have.  Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love for others so we’ll be willing to partner with Him and do what we don’t think we are able to do.

Come Holy Spirit, Trusted Responder, Always Supporter, I am grateful for the ability and opportunity to serve. Help me to reach out to others with love. Inspire me, guide me and support me.

And may God bless you abundantly this week, as you give back to him what you have and glorify him by your life.

Remember to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen, or on the right side of this page and help us spread the word by forwarding to a friend, sharing on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Just click the icons at the top of the blog post. Also, check out the Resources page where you can find a link to the books and other resources mentioned in this and other episodes of By Your Life. I love to hear from you. Let me know how you’ve benefited from By Your Life by leaving a comment below.