Daily Reflection – 1/6/2026
Sacred Scripture
As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.”’ When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. (Mark 6:34-44)
Reflection
Of all the miracles Jesus performed, the feeding of the five thousand is the only one recorded in all four Gospels. That alone tells us something. Each evangelist believed this moment carried a lesson the Church could not afford to miss.
The obvious message is powerful enough:
When the Lord gives, He gives abundantly.
He gives more than we need so that we may have something to share with those who lack. God takes the little we offer and multiplies it for the good of others.
But as with every Gospel story, the lesson eventually circles back to us.
We must pause and ask: What is this saying to me?
Because His Word is meant to be our compass in a world that has lost its sense of direction.
We live in a society on edge. People panic at the slightest hint of danger. Many face physical and spiritual hunger. Countless souls quietly ask:
“Why am I here?”
“What should I do with my life?”
“Does anyone love me?”
“What will become of me?”
And that is where you and I come in… again.
“Again” because discipleship is never a one‑time act.
There can be no kingdom of heaven in our living if we do not walk the right path. Teaching the kingdom is teaching freedom — freedom from fear, from powerlessness, from the “wild dogs” and false shepherds that mislead and devour.
Jesus makes it unmistakably clear:
If we want to follow Him, we must get involved.
We must be willing to sacrifice, to deny ourselves, to help our sisters and brothers.
And He tells us plainly that this is the happiest way to live.
Why?
Because look at the reward.
Imagine the joy of standing there that day, watching five loaves and two fish become a feast for thousands — and ending with more than you began.
In His words: “You give them something to eat.”
The joy we receive comes from helping people feed their souls. If we overlook the soul‑feeding Jesus did as He “taught them many things,” we shortchange both ourselves and the hungry crowd in which we live.
Think of the times you stepped out in faith, beyond your comfort zone, to help someone. Think of the times you received unexpected help.Time and again, each of us has stories of “blessings in disguise” — moments, people, places God used to bring a miracle into our daily struggles. These moments strengthen faith, change lives, and reveal God’s face to us.
We were created in His image. When we become instruments of His love and mercy, we fulfill part of our purpose. Getting involved makes the Christian life a joy. We become part of God’s exciting work in the world. And without a doubt, we end with more than we began — more joy, more meaning, more blessing, both spiritual and temporal.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus,
You see the hunger of the world with compassion, not fear. Teach us to see as You see, to love as You love, and to offer what little we have with trust that You will multiply it. Give us courage to step beyond ourselves to feed the souls around us with Your truth, and to become instruments of Your mercy and joy. Make us willing participants in Your miracles, so that in giving, we may receive even more of You.”
Daily Note
Sharing loaves to the hungry may sound clichéd for others, but for the starved, it’s a miracle. Part of our time listening to a friend in despair and comforting him is sharing our loaves of bread to him. Calling a relative and asking him how he is and his family is also sharing our meals. Making children laugh and teaching them to be grateful for daily miracles and blessings is also sharing our loaves. Being kind to the people we live in one roof (like our family) is also sharing our loaves. More so, forgiving ourselves from our past mistakes and sins is also sharing God’s living bread.
Sheep without a shepherd- is that Venezuela?