Today's first reading: "A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, 'Give it to the people to eat.' But his servant objected, 'How can I set this before a hundred people?' Elisha insisted, 'Give it to the people to eat. For thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and there shall be some left over.'' And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the LORD had said."
From today's gospel: "Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, 'Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?' He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, 'Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.' One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 'There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?' Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.' So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat."
There is nothing quite like the weariness of the end of the first week of school. You feel it in your feet, in your back, and your brain just says, "Enough. Stop." In a way, it is a little disturbing. If that is how we feel after the first week, what will it be like in the middle of February? But today's scripture provides solace.
Every one of you puts in everything you have, every day, and our students, like the great crowd of gospel, seek after us and receive all that we have to offer. Where to get more? De La Salle reminds us that "God wills not only that all come to the knowledge of truth but also that all be saved. He cannot truly desire this without providing the means for it. . . ." (Med. 193.3). God has placed those means close at hand: prayer, collaboration, the joy of extracurriculars with our students, building relationships with students and colleagues, the beauty of the desert and mountains around us, time alone with Scripture or ourselves. Put in the time with those means, and the result will not just be a week-to-week existence, but one rewarded with even more than we need, allowing us to share with students and colleagues who might need more. This week, may we be aware of the needs of others, and how we might share with them out of our abundance.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts!