Blessings of god

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
July 25, 2021

Our Christianity is true and authentic to the extent that we are able to show genuine and sincere concern for the wellbeing of others. It consists in being able to share the blessings of God with those in need and to not turn a blind eye. Elisha, a disciple of Elijah, understood that the true measure of ministerial efficacy consists in the ability to tend the flock of Christ. By Levitical laws, Elisha was entitled, as a minister of God, to the gift of first fruits. Yet, rather than accumulate materials that he had no need of, brought to him by a man from Baal-Shalisah, he instructed that such gifts be given to the people in need of them. In the gospel, Jesus’ heart is moved with compassion for the large crowd that gathered to hear Him speak. Having fed their souls with the bread of eternal life, His words, He also thought it necessary to also provide them with bread for their body. In that manifestation of His extraordinary generosity, he underscores the message in today’s Psalm that: ‘The hand of the Lord feeds us, He answers all our needs’. God answers our needs, both material and spiritual. His provident care is always there when we need it to provide an abundant supply of His blessings. All His creatures look to him to provide their food in due season. The greatest appreciation for the boundless blessings that we receive from God is to pay it forward, to ensure that we remain channels through which the grace of God flows. That is the summary of Saint Paul’s message today in his letter to the Ephesians, to live in a manner worthy of the call we have received; bearing with one another through love. Once again, we are challenged by today’s message to allow the gospels values to take root in our lives, and to shape us into true images of Christ. The love of Christ urges us to live generously and unsparingly, following Him as our model. In this, we are reminded of the old saying credited to Winston Churchill that, ‘we make a living by what we get and make a life by what we give’. Amen.