Pope encourages taking the path of charity for fulness of life

Vatican News

Greeting pilgrims and visitors in Saint Peter’s Square for the midday Angelus prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis recalled the day’s Gospel reading which recounts the crowds searching for Jesus after the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Offering what we have

The miracle of feeding the crowds with a tiny number of loaves of bread and fish shows how if everyone offers what they have, no matter how small, with the help of God everyone can benefit, the Pope emphasised. But the crowds focused only on Jesus’ miracle and their physical hunger that was temporarily satisfied, the Pope continued, and they did not grasp the bigger meaning of the experience.

True bread

While their hunger was satisfied, the miracle of the loaves and the fishes revealed “the path of life that lasts forever and the taste of bread that satisfies beyond any measure.” The true bread, the Pope explained was and is Jesus, God’s beloved Son made man who came to share our condition and lead us to the joy and gift of full communion with God and with our brothers and sisters.

Path of charity

The Pope explained that material things do not lead to fulness of life, as only love can do that when we take the path of charity which keeps nothing for itself and shares all. He pointed out how this can be seen in families when parents strive to raise their children well and leave them a good future. And the children in turn can show their gratitude and be supportive of one another.

The Pope suggested we look at our own relationship with material things and whether we are beholden to them or we freely share them with others to express our love and joy, while also saying 'thank you' for the gifts we receive.