5+2=5000

Have you ever seen a title that had no letters in it? In some rare cases, having such might be able to catch attention and even bring home a point. For this case, what we have is even so absurd that the mathemati­cal equation does not even add up correctly. But numbers do sometimes tell stories. These numbers, in fact, describe the story of the Gospel passage that we read during the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ,  which we celebrate this Sunday.

I first saw these figures of “5+2=5000” printed on a T-shirt of one our missionaries who returned from a well spent tour of duty in a neighboring country. I was intrigued at first until I saw that the figures were referring to the miracle of the five loaves and two fish that were blessed by Jesus to feed five

 thousand men, not counting the women and the children. It was somewhat a bit of a wise idea to express the narrative in such manner.

Moving to the scene of the story, Jesus took His disciples to task as he told them to take care of the people who were fol­lowing them the whole day. They had been listening to Jesus’ preaching about the Kingdom of God as well as presenting to Jesus those who were in need of healing. The disciples were afraid of how they may be able to feed the crowd – for they only had five loaves and two fish with them.

After being instructed to sit the crowd in small groups, Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the thousands around them.

How could this have been possible? There have been many theories given on how this miracle happened. Some Gospel commentators said that the miracle happened because, as people saw that as the fish and loaves were being distributed, they were inspired to share and brought out what they were keeping for themselves. (People came from near and far in order to go to that isolated place to listen to and see Jesus. Some had provisions with them. Some had none.) On the other hand, other commentators mention that the miracle was supernaturally accomplished.

What we are certain of with the Biblical account is that the thousands were fed. And that was the miracle! With God, noth­ing is impossible as he satisfies the different hungers that we have – a hunger to satisfy our physical needs or even a hunger

 to do what is right.

Let us contemplate and put ourselves in the scene of the mir­acle. Can you picture yourself to be part of the disciples as you receive instructions from Jesus himself to feed the thousands, and organize people amidst the chaos that was present? Or can you put yourself with the crowd who went to the secluded place to listen to Jesus’ word and even to seek healing? Whether we are with the disciples or we are with the crowd, the miracle begins when we find ourselves getting close to Jesus.

God’s love and grace overflows that it becomes absurd even to our standards. Even if what one gives is small, God will make use of it to be shared to all. An old saying says that, “no one is too poor that he cannot give, and no one is too rich that he cannot receive.”

What are your five loaves and two fish in life? What can you offer to Jesus that which he may bless, break and share to the people that he tasks us to take care of? What have you been receiving as you hunger for God’s saving word and healing? Before saying that, “5+2=5000” is impossible, can we first try to bring forward all that we are, and all that we have? As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, can we ask Jesus to bless our “5+2”? That may be the more possible thing that we can understand and do.

Thank you, Jesus, for your gift of self. Thank you for your love and grace that fills us in our journeys in life.