Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me perceive and partake of your provision…

 
John 21:1-14 & John 6:1-15

 
The Feeding of the 5000 and Jesus’ hosting of an Easter Shore Breakfast for his disciples are but two of the innumerable ways in which our Lord provides for our needs. Interestingly, both of these stories start with problems of supply and demand. The crowd of thousands was a long walk from any village, and growlingly hungry. The problem was, where to get food for so many people. After the death and Resurrection of their Master, when Peter and his friends, in their desolation and lonliness had gone fishing, they spent the whole night fishing and by dawn were still empty handed. The problem was, how to find fish to catch, but more importantly, how to find consolation for their desolation. Interestingly the seemingly unsolvable problems in each of these stories, lead to the Lord’s miraculous and compassionate provision. It seems that for Christ Jesus, our problems are simply opportunities to provide what we need from the generosity of the world around us. From a boy’s lunch of small loaves and two fishes our Lord turned the problem of supply into the provision of ample food for the hungry crowd of 5000. And out of his own night’s catch of fish, Jesus provided an ample and consoling breakfast of fish and baked bannock cooked over a campfire on the beach for his disciples, who were ravenous from their night of fishing, long before they hauled their catch ashore. Could it be that each problem we face is actually a void into which Christ Jesus is longing to pour his provision?  Will I notice the Lord’s provision for my needs, and then take time to sit down in His presence and consume what he so generously provides? Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me perceive and partake of your provision.
 
I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.   (Psalm 27:13)
 
In everything, whether it is a thing sensed or a thing known, God himself is hidden within.
St. Bonaventure
 
Soli ad gloriam
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