February 16, 2021

Mk 8: 14-21

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? 

And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

Seeing God every day

How often do we look past God when he is right in front of us? The disciples are worried that they do not have enough bread, when in fact they are in the presence of the bread of Heaven himself, Jesus. Jesus has hardly hidden this from them, as he has multiplied the loaves twice as a demonstration to them of his power and mission. And yet they do not see what is in plain sight. 

The Gospel reminds us to seek God in our daily life. This is the perfect reading for Mardi Gras, when we celebrate the many good things God has given us.  As we prepare to enter Lent, let us ask God for an awareness of and gratitude for the ways he works in our lives.

—Bill McCormick, SJ, is a scholastic of the USA Central and Southern Province in theology studies at Regis College in Toronto, Canada.

Prayer

Lord, grant that I may see you more clearly,

love you more dearly, and

follow you more nearly. 

—Spiritual Exercises, no. 104