Joke: A little boy got into a heated argument with his sister about who’s going to get the last brownie. His mom overheard this discussion and came in to try to resolve the fuss. Her two children, both extremely upset, each wanted that last brownie. So sensing the opportunity to teach a deeper spiritual truth, the mother looked at her children and asked that very relevant question "What would Jesus do?" The little boy immediately answered saying, "That's easy. Jesus would just break that brownie and make it 5,000 more."

Of course, Jesus would make that brownie into 5,000 more, but perhaps, with these 5,000 more, these two children might not be able to consume all. It is 5,000 people, not including women and children, hungry for food, and Jesus fed them with five loaves of bread and two fish. To turn that one brownie into 5,000 to feed only two greedy children is already impossible for a mother, to turn that five loaves and two fish to feed not two people, but 5,000 people is more impossible for human beings, but for Jesus, it is not impossible. Why is that what seems impossible for us is possible for God?

Today’s Gospel, in fact, in the next few weekends’ Gospel readings, focuses on the “Bread of Life Discourse” taken from the Gospel of John. We will have a chance to understand more about the bread of life, the Eucharist, and the central nurturing of our souls. However, today’s first reading and the Gospel reading, focus on what is impossible for us is possible for God. Diving into this insight, we might want to ask ourselves how we live our Christian life after we are fed with God’s Word, His Body, and His Blood each time we come to participate in the Mass. (We are reminded to fast at least one hour before we come up to receive Communion.)

Today’s first reading, taken from the second book of Kings, describes a man who brought to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the first fruits and fresh grain in the ear that Elisha told his servant saying “Give it to the people to eat.” He didn’t keep them for himself, but he asked his servant to share with those who were hungry. His servant objected saying, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Perhaps, twenty barley loaves would not be enough to feed a hundred people. However, Elisha insisted and believed in the Word of God saying to him, “They shall eat and there shall be some left over.” They all ate and collected some leftovers. Just one act of faith in the Lord to share with others what he had, what seemed impossible for us, Elisha demonstrated that was possible for God.

In today’s Gospel, Andrew, one of Jesus’ disciples, noticed that there was a boy who had five loaves of bread and two fish, but he said to Jesus, “What good are these for so many?” Just as Elisha fed a hundred people with only twenty loaves of bread, Jesus, the Son of God, fed five thousand men, not including women and children, with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Where are these five loaves of bread and two fish, if it’s not from the little boy? Why is it a little boy and not an adult? Does he eat all of that himself? Has he come from a wealthy family that he has more than what he needs? (Some priests and even theologians explain this passage by saying that people, including Jesus’ disciples, hoarded or hided bread under their robes. Since Jesus has a skill of great preaching, they slowly pull them out and share. This is not true. Pay attention to the words of today’s Gospel, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.” Jesus himself distributes the bread and the fish, nobody else.

What is impossible for us is possible for God also reminds us of Mary's question to Gabriel “How will this be” to be conceived and bear a child since she does not have a relationship with a man, and not talking about knowing the man. To this wonder, Mary received the answer saying: “Nothing is impossible for God.” This saying “yes” of Mary to surrender to the will of God does not only save a hundred people, 5,000 men, but the whole human race. The question then, how are we able to believe that Jesus is not only a man but also God who can bring what is impossible to become possible for us on our spiritual journey here on earth? The decision is yours.