In today’s scripture we hear of two different miracles. In both cases, small quantities of bread are multiplied in order to feed vast crowds.  One of the things that these two events share is that both were initiated by a human offering.  In the Old Testament passage (2 Kings 4:42-44) we hear of the offering of twenty barley loaves by a man to Elisha.  In the New Testament passage (John 6:1-15) we hear of the offering of five barley loaves from a boy to Jesus.  In both cases, the minimal offering is accepted and multiplied by God in order to satisfy the hunger of the masses.

It is good and comforting to know that God will accept and multiply that which we offer him.  And our greatest offering is that of ourselves.  In gratitude and thanks we can offer God all of ourselves by disposing our hearts and minds to Him.  We can bring to him our limited virtue and allow him to “multiply” it in us.  In today’s second reading (Ephesians 4:1-6) Saint Paul helps us understand what this offering is.  Paul tells us that the disposition that we can offer is one of humility, gentleness, patience, and love.   And we can be confident that by offering this to God, whatever of these virtues is lacking in us will be “multiplied” by him.  

Paul reminds us that we are called to a life of holiness, to take on the heart and mind of Christ.  This is not easy.  But what the miracles of the multiplication of the loaves tell us is that if we approach our God with faith and trust we can offer our limited selves to Him and allow Him to multiply in us those virtues that will help us live out our calling in accordance with our faith.

No matter how hard it might be for us to take on the heart and mind of Christ, we know that if we offer ourselves – even with our limitations, our stains, our sinfulness – if we offer all of ourselves and our best efforts to God in love and gratitude, He will multiply in us those virtues and dispositions that in the end will lead us to Him.  We can be very confident of this.  God’s grace is there for the taking.  He offers it freely.  All we need to do to receive his offering is to respond to his call, offer all of ourselves to him, and let our hungers be filled and our virtue be multiplied.