Dear family members and friends: Today’s Gospel shows us the result of the compassion of the Lord. Jesus healed the sick and later as per the request of the disciples He fed them by multiplying the five loaves and two fish. There were still plenty of loaves left after the multitude ate to their satisfaction. Jesus is always compassionate and sometimes He needs our initiative to act. In today’s communion antiphon we pray. “You have given us, O Lord, bread from heaven, endowed with all delights and sweetness in every taste.” We need this spiritual food for our satisfaction. In the first reading we are invited to listen diligently to Him and eat what is good and delight yourselves in rich food. Let us have the great desire for this food which gives us all delights and sweetness. Amen.

What if God appears to us and tells us to ask what we need, how we will respond? The answer Solomon gave was, “give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil..”  The 1^st reading of today says, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.” In today’s Gospel Jesus tells about the kingdom of heaven as hidden treasure, precious pearl and net thrown into the sea which gathers fish of every kind. What is important is to discern what is good for us and collect that. St.Paul reminds us that what is from God is for good. Let us pray for the grace to discern between good and evil and find joy in what God provides us. Amen