In today’s Gospel, we witness Jesus miraculously feeding 5,000 people, a profound act of compassion and abundance in the face of hunger. In our modern world, where we produce enough food to feed all the world’s 8 billion people, some 828 million[1] people go hungry every day; these facts create deep questions for us all. In Ireland, over half a million people are considered at risk of poverty and over 180,000 people are living in what is defined as ‘consistent poverty’[2].
Reflecting on these realities, Pope Francis, on World Food Day 2023, called on the Church to renew its mission:
The Church never tires of sowing those values that will build a civilization that finds in love, mutual respect and reciprocal help a compass to guide its steps, turning above all to those brothers and sisters who suffer most, such as the hungry and the thirsty[3].
In the Gospel narrative, Jesus’s question to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” resonates with many people today who wonder “How are we going to feed all these people?”
This Gospel passage challenges us to perceive the needs of the hungry with new eyes and to take meaningful action.
The Gospel today underscores the inter-connectedness between our living relationship with God and our solidarity with humanity and creation.
In today’s context, this Gospel story prompts us to confront the reality of hunger and to re-commit ourselves to the imperative of alleviating it. It is an example that we should all follow, aiming to multiply our efforts to ensure that all have access to the basic nutrition they need to thrive.
Image by Leroy Skalstad from Pixabay
[1] https://concernusa.org/news/world-hunger-facts/
[2] https://www.svp.ie/end-poverty/poverty-in-ireland-key-facts-and-figures/
[3] World Food Day 2023 – https://shorturl.at/Ig2AO
Ronan Barry
