Fish & Loaves: The Provisions of Faith

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” (John 6:9)

I recently wrote on this for our parish bulletin. The first thing that came to mind was money. Gah! It’s like the world has its grubby tentacles in my head! But seriously, when thinking of multiplying the fish and loaves, we think of supplying in places that seem sparse. For our family, it’s finances. My BFF (a.k.a. husband) and I praise God when something unexpectedly works out. We’ll receive an amount we need from an unexpected source in the eleventh hour of need and we’ll thank the Lord Who provides!

Some days we’re trying to make ends meet and they’re barely waving from a distance. Other days, getting ends to meet is like herding cats and trying to make them face each other from across a football field. On those days, I’ll take the distant waving.

I have a few coworkers who have no idea how well-off they are. Playing with money to ‘make things work’ means deciding how to stretch a tropical vacation or deciding which room to do over in their house. The cynic in me wants to shake them and say, “you have no idea what you have!” Truth be told, I can imagine plenty of ways to spend money if I had it. Who am I to criticize? Instead, I try to be happy for them and realize that where they are is not where I am. Perspective can be everything.

What it boils down to is this: the only way for the loaves and fish to multiply is to use God’s math first, not ours. Common Core’s got nothing on Him. Since His ways are far above our ways (Isaiah 55:9), we need to give it to Him. Jesus gave thanks and said the blessing before the miracle happened. That’s another blog right there! I can be brief though (despite what some may say): In faith, be thankful, and bless the Lord our God. It’s like a three-step plan. Don't worry; God provides. (Matthew 6:25-34)

I may not raise my checkbook in the air, but I sure bow my head an awful lot with a house, two kids, and a hubby in full-time college. Sometimes I’m too overwhelmed, too over taxed with worry and burdens. When in doubt, I remember two promises: Isaiah 40:31 and Jeremiah 29:11. There’s two sayings I also remind myself of. My aunt likes to say, “This, too, shall pass.” I also remember my great auntie, who’s now enjoying the joys of heaven. She used to say, in her thick Italian accent, “God is good.” After that, what else matters?