Growing up, when my brothers and I grumbled about the food that our parents put in front of us for dinner, our mom would always remind us of the poor children in the world who did not have food to eat. I love it that my sister-in-law and her husband teach and remind their children to always be grateful for everything they have rather grumble about things that they do not have but want.
In today's first reading from the Book of Numbers, we read that the "children of Israel lamented, 'Would that we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.'" In that moment of human weakness and grumbling against God, they had forgot the real cost being in Egypt - their freedom. Their desire for things of this world, even if it is something as basic as food, made them forget that they were slaves to pharaoh in Egypt. Rather than be grateful and give God thanks and praise for giving them manna from heaven that sustains them, they lamented.
In the Gospel passage, Jesus fed the five thousand and more with just 5 loaves and 2 fish. In the same way, Jesus nourishes us physically and spiritual in the Eucharist - his Body and his Blood give up for us. Saint John Vianney once said, "There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us."
Therefore, dearest goddaughter, remember the lessons of your parents and be grateful for all the things that God has given you, especially your family. Most of all, be grateful for the Eucharist and receive it worthily.
Love,
Bỏ Phúc
P.S. These are the readings for the day: Nm 11:4b-15 and Mt 14:13-21.
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