Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

Advent Prayer

All-powerful God, increase our strength of will for doing good that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
Matthew 15:36

Reflection:
We read of the miracle of the loaves and fishes in today's reading. We have this same miracle today in every Church that gives us the Eucharist. He has multiplied himself so when we leave his presence we will not go hungry either.

Jesus gave the many, food for the stomach as well as food for the soul. We receive this when we too go and worship our Lord, our stomachs are fed with heavenly food and our souls are given spiritual nourishment to help us live in the way of God. Jesus gaves us something very special and quite unique, a way to be with him always.

For many it is just a piece of bread, but for many others he is a living piece of bread that fills us with love and sustains us in our daily journeys. Where our trials are minimal and not as burdensome. What a wonderful miracle of the loaves and fishes that Jesus had performed for us to witness. He gave us something truly wonderful, himself in the very bread that he broke and gave to his disciples to feed the multitude. It is an act of faith to believe in this great miracle, but an act of love to understand the truth.