Everyone here on earth has the joy of receiving from others. But when it comes to give, our hands are short. We expect  others to share their wealth and good things with us. But when we are asked to share, we think twice, isn’t it? We want God to bless us but after receiving, we forget God until another need arises. But dear brothers and sisters, in giving, we truly receive. St. Paul says “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). It is true that God truly loves a cheerful giver. That is why we read in the book of Malachi “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an over flowing blessing” (Malachi. 3:10). Two weeks ago, a brother named Basil Fernandes, shared his testimony. In the year 2007, when he attended my 5 days retreat, he realized that he should give his 1/10th tithe, without fail. He had only 2 branches, with hardly 10 people to work, he was staying in a rented house, he had to travel by public transport, he was into deep debts. But after 5 years, he is blessed with 160 branches, with more than 400 staff, he has his own 3 bedroom private apartment, brand new car, and he is freed from all his debts. All because he never failed to give what belongs to God. without fail he gives his 1/10th to God’s work and attends retreat every month with his family.

We are all living in the modern civilization. We see everyday changes taking place. The cultures have changed, traditions are disappearing. People have new ideology. Research in different fields have taken man to new heights of glory. The human societies all over the world are going through a drastic transition. Philosophies are ruling different countries. Man has lost many values that have been keeping families, communities and societies in harmony and peace. And therefore lot of fanatism and hypocracy is creping within the social mileu, and at this point, what brings true peace, harmony and social development and human dignity is only the life giving word of God. we read in St. Mark’s gospel, Jesus was asked by the scribes and Pharisees “why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of elders, but eat with the defiled hands?” (Mk. 7:5). Jesus answered them “This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me teaching human precepts as doctrines, you abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition” (Mk. 7:6-8)

Last Sunday, we had the Gospel reading on feeding the five thousand from St. John’s Gospel chapter 6:1-14. Many will have gone for Sunday mass and listened to the boring, baseless and self-imagined, preaching of the preacher. Hence the Lord told me ‘Feed my sheep’ Jn. 21:15. Yes! My dear brothers and sisters, “The Lord is our shepherd and he feeds us with the green pastures and leads us to the fresh waters” Psalm. 23:1-2. ‘Feeding the Five Thousand’ this passage, should enlighten us and make us realize that the Lord, who is our shepherd, wants to feed us daily with the heavenly manna, which is the word of God and with fresh waters, which is his life giving spirit. When he fed those 5,000 men, besides many women and children, Jesus performed that miracle with 2 fish and 5 loaves. Even today he wants to feed us with the same. What are those 5 loaves? They are nothing but the first five books of the Holy Bible, and what are those 2 fish? They are the two testaments? Old Testament and the New Testament. If you feed just 5,000 men alone with this food, besides millions of women and children, still the remaining will be collected in 12 baskets, for further distribution. These 12 baskets were given to 12 disciples by Jesus. So that, they would continue to feed many more with Word of God.