20 June 2027 · Syro-Malankara Rite
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“Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35
In the Gospel the crowd is hungry and the day is ending. The disciples want to send them away. Jesus says: “You give them something to eat.” They have only five loaves and two fish. Jesus “taking the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled.” What little we bring, Christ blesses and multiplies; but he gives it through the hands of his disciples. This is the priesthood: hands that receive from Christ and give to the people.
In the evening Gospel the disciples argue about who is the greatest. Jesus sits down, calls the Twelve and says: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he takes a little child in his arms: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” The Church does not need ambitious men but servants.
In Acts the Lord sends Ananias to Saul, the persecutor: “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel.” Ananias lays hands on him, and Saul is filled with the Holy Spirit. God calls unexpected people, and he uses other people's hands to form them. Seminaries exist for this: so that those whom God chooses may be formed to serve.
Isaiah encourages the weary: “He gives power to the faint… those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary.” Priests and seminarians, catechists and parents grow tired. The Spirit renews those who wait on the Lord.
Theme: “You give them something to eat.”
Jesus feeds the crowd through the hands of his disciples, teaches them that greatness is service, and calls unexpected instruments like Saul. This Sunday we pray especially for priests and seminarians.
“The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:16
“And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled.” Luke 9:16–17
Apply: Pray by name for the priests who serve your parish.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel.”” Acts 9:15
Apply: Encourage a young person to consider whether God is calling them.
“Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
“He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”” Mark 9:35
Apply: Serve someone at home this week without being asked.
Christ multiplies what we give and feeds the world through servants.
Let us pray for our priests, offer our five loaves, and serve with joy.
Take-home resolution: Offer a day of prayer and fasting this week for seminarians.
Dear brothers and sisters, the day is ending, the crowd is hungry, and the disciples want to send them away. Jesus says: “You give them something to eat.” They have only five loaves and two fish. Jesus takes them, looks up to heaven, blesses, breaks, and gives them to the disciples to give to the people. All eat and are satisfied, and twelve baskets are left over.
Notice: Jesus does not drop bread from the sky. He feeds the crowd through the hands of his disciples. That is the mystery of the priesthood. At every Holy Qurbono a man takes bread, and Christ through his hands feeds his people. Today we pray for those hands: our priests, and the young men in our seminaries.
But the disciples also had to learn. In the evening Gospel they argued about who was the greatest. Jesus took a child in his arms and said: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” A priest, a parent, a leader is great only by serving.
God chooses surprising people. He chose Saul, the persecutor, and sent Ananias to lay hands on him. He may be choosing a boy or girl in your family. Do not say “not my son, not my daughter.” Offer your five loaves. And to all who are weary in service, Isaiah says: “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Amen.
Children, a boy had five little loaves and two fish. He gave them to Jesus, and Jesus fed five thousand people!
Jesus gave the bread to his friends to share. Today priests share the Bread of Jesus with us at the Holy Qurbono.
Let's pray for priests and for boys who are learning to become priests. And what small thing will you give to Jesus?
Lord Jesus, you took the five loaves, blessed and broke them, and gave them to your disciples for the crowd. Bless our seminarians and priests; make them servants of all; renew the strength of all who are weary in your service, and send labourers into your harvest. Amen.