A Homily for Friday of the Second Week of Eastertide
Friday, May 2, 2025
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
Acts 5:34-42; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15
Audio Recording
Today we hear once again the familiar Gospel passage where Jesus feeds a multitude with just five loaves and two fish. This miracle is a sign not only of Christ’s divine power but of His abundant care for us. Everyone ate and was satisfied–and still, twelve baskets of food were left over. It’s a powerful image. But we must ask: why the extra? Why more food after everyone had already had enough?
Saint Athanasius, one of the great Fathers of the Church whose Feast Day we celebrate today, gives us a lens to see this through. He reminds us that Christ, the eternal Word, gives not just what we need for the moment but offers us “divine fullness.”
For Athanasius, the Incarnation–the Word made flesh–means that Christ enters our human reality not just to meet needs, but to lift us into the very life of God…to DIVINIZE us. In this miracle, we see that Christ gives us more than bodily nourishment–He gives us the overflowing abundance of divine life.
The twelve baskets, then, are not leftovers in the ordinary sense. They represent what Christ gives beyond what we can immediately receive. They are a sign that His teaching, His love, His grace–are inexhaustible.
Dear friends, most of us here today have walked with the Lord a long time. Our hearts are seasoned with faith. And now, Christ is offering us even more, not leftovers, but treasures of divine wisdom and grace that you may now be ready to receive. Each of us is called to be a saint, to be among those who allow the Lord to fill them. And when we allow Him to really fill us with his love, when we make the conscious decision to follow him wherever he may lead us, regardless of the personal cost, we will make progress in our spiritual lives like never before and become even more effective in our shared mission to bring others to Christ.
And perhaps now, in this season of our lives, the temptation can be to think that you’ve already given all there is to give. Maybe you feel a little worn out. Maybe your health limits what you can do. Maybe you wonder, “What can I still offer?” Let me tell you: you still have EVERYTHING to give. Not in the same way as when you were younger, but perhaps in a deeper, more powerful way.
Even now, you are called to love–not just by doing, but by BEING. By your presence. By your wisdom. By your prayers. By the quiet example of your faith. That is a gift the world desperately needs. You reflect the love of God in ways younger people may not yet understand. And through you, others still encounter Christ.
God’s love doesn’t run dry, and neither does yours if it’s rooted in Him. The more you give, even now, the more you are filled. So don’t be afraid to keep loving, to keep giving yourself in new ways.
Maybe it’s with words of encouragement. Maybe it’s with a listening ear. Maybe it’s by offering your daily aches and prayers for someone in need. These things matter. They are real, and they are holy.
So today, ask Jesus to feed you again. Ask Him to draw you deeper. Let Him nourish you not just with comfort, healing and strength, but with the mystery of His life. There is still more He wants to give you. More peace. More clarity. More of Himself.
And having been fed from the depths of His love, you can share these gifts in ways that only the wise and faithful can.
God bless you.