Many years ago, I had a Catholic Truth Society children’s book, kept in my grandparent’s house, which I looked at often when I visited, entitled “The Boy who Shared”. It was about the feeding of the five thousand from the perspective of the boy; as I didn’t like reading much I followed the story by looking at the pictures.
All our actions do have a ripple effect; but when they are in union with Jesus that effect can be enormous and far reaching. When the boy bankrolled the miracle with five loaves and 2 fish, he could not have anticipated such ROI (return on investment). Five thousand men were fed; this story was etched in the minds of every believer across 20 centuries and around the world.
I read a more recent story from South Africa a few years ago, about a youth pastor, who after a long day decided to stop at a burger joint for a big dinner. Outside was a group of 5 street children begging and the Holy Spirit prompted him to get them each a hamburger. Whilst he realised this would reduce his anticipated feast, he submitted to the inspiration and bought 6 burgers including one for himself. He went outside to distribute them and as he did another crowd of street kids ran across the road towards him. There would not be enough. Anyway as he slipped his hand into the bag there was always one more there, he gave one to each of the newcomers and at the end there was still one left for him. The lesser known miracle of the multiplication of hamburgers!
No act of kindness or charity, done in union with God, is without its effect, both immediate and eternal. As St Paul puts it in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Medjugorje International Relief
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