Daily Inspiration

“Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little. "One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world. "Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.” -John 6:1-15
 
Here, Jesus profoundly foreshadows His institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. The miracle of feeding so many from so little is indeed awe-inspiring, but it pales in comparison to the miracle we experience in the Holy Mass, where we find sustenance in the Body and Blood of Christ.
 
Jesus makes Himself present to us through the sacrifice of the Mass. His flesh is true food, and His blood is true drink, given to billions of the faithful throughout the centuries.
 
After my first spiritual encounters, I understood Christ's command to “Gather all the fragments, so nothing will be wasted.” Although receiving Him in the hand is acceptable, I have been compelled to receive Him on my tongue so that I may not lose even one fragment of Our Lord.
 
Saints Nazarius and Celsus, pray for us.
 
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Jesus, I trust in you!