We’ve all heard this gospel so many times before, and it strikes us each time we hear this gospel that it was that simple gift of five loaves and a few fish … It was that simple gift of that young boy that was actually magnified throughout all the people who had gathered to come and hear and listen to Jesus.

One boy with simple gifts to bring gets magnified, and it feeds thousands of people. I like that image, huh? It’s a pretty powerful image that a gift that one person has can be magnified throughout the whole community. Isn’t that true of our faith? Isn’t that true of what we bring to the world? What one mom and dad could do in terms of bringing life to children and those children bringing life to all their friends and family members. Isn’t it true that we have the capacity to magnify the gifts that we share with all those around us?

A couple weeks ago, I talked about that in my homily. A couple weeks ago, I talked about how we’re called to share the gift of faith that Jesus has given us with all those we encounter, and this gospel today just magnifies and amplifies that invitation that whatever it is that burns deeply in our hearts in terms of faith with our savior Jesus, that we share, and it feeds so many others.

I have the great joy of going around the Archdiocese these days, and many people tell me that you see me celebrating mass on Sunday at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. I want to thank you for sharing that, but more than anything else, I want to thank you for sharing your gift of faith. When you speak to a grandchild, when you speak to a nephew, when you speak to a neighbor in the name of Jesus and share your own journey with Jesus, how he comforted you in time of sadness or how he rejoiced with you in the time of great joy. That’s doing exactly what the boy with the fish and the loaves did. He shared what he had, and you do that as well.

I want to invite you to do two things as we continue to share our faith with other people. I’d like you to continue to pray for all the boys and girls at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. I know you do that all the time. You pray for the boys and girls at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. Thank you for doing that. That’s a gift, and their lives are enriched because of your prayer.

I also want to invite you to pray for the renewal that’s happening in our Archdiocese of Chicago. The cardinal has a great vision for renewal, and your prayers can make that renewal happen, that all people come to know Jesus more deeply, more powerfully, more specifically. Through your sharing and through your own generosity abundant things can happen in this Archdiocese.

Certainly here, at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, but in our whole Archdiocese through the cardinal’s vision called Renew My Church, we can share that faith, and share it abundantly so that all might be fed.

Thanks for your prayers on both levels. Continue to share abundantly.