Empty Baskets

Heroes come packaged with fancy wrappers and ribbons, while others come in a plain brown wrapper. Some get awards, and others are hardly noticed. Yet, they all have given of themselves to others, whether they rescued a child from a burning home, volunteered at a soup kitchen, or recognized someone’s distress and sent a card.

Father Eymard’s mantra, the gift of self, resounds in every giving act of love we can muster. Sometimes, we must let go of past practices that don’t move us forward. And so, do we really expect the lives of the disadvantaged will improve through their efforts? A fool’s paradise is not for us.

Five thousand people sit down in the middle of nowhere, not a marketplace in sight. Did anyone in that large crowd think about packing a food basket? The implications of this well-known miracle of the loaves and fishes gives us much food for thought (pun intended). People in need; they are hungry. Indeed, something in our basket can help – food, financial support, clothing, emotional support, and the word of God. Unlike that miracle basket, ours needs refilling.

So, here we are with an empty basket without anything to give. It happens. Collectively, what can we give to solve those hungers of humanity? Collectively, breathe in God’s breath and our basket; our spirit is renewed in the Real Presence.

Get in the boat with Jesus and be ready for a wind-tossed sea. The love of God, the love of ourselves, and the love for others will drive away our fears.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Guide us today to empty our basket and refill it in your Presence.