January 3, 2007
“Give ‘em whatever ya got.” ( Matthew 14:18, BV)
Many of you who are familiar with the Bible may be unfamiliar with this particular translation; that is, the “BV” edition—the “ Brooklyn version” of the Bible. In the well-known story of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Our Lord asks His disciples to bring Him the few provisions they have in order to feed an immense crowd—five thousand to be precise.
We know the story from the Bible, yet similar situations play themselves out every day when we find ourselves facing an impassable obstacle. There it squarely stands, like a black granite wall between us and what we want so badly—peace of mind, marital harmony, good health, financial security, gainful employment, or conversion of loved ones. Like a climber facing a mountain haloed with clouds, we must step back to see the best way up, then ready our ropes to take us over the top. Sometimes, however, we sadly discover we have nothing more than a tangled ball of string.
The story of Our Lord and His disciples feeding so many with so little was written for us. It is not only an event which happened two centuries ago, but an event which happens today. There are many—millions perhaps—who find themselves alone and afraid before a foreboding black wall. Of these there are many who quietly whine and whimper, while others loudly cry and complain. Yet, curiously, there are some who stay both silent and still; and to these the eyes and ears of the Almighty are firmly fixed.
While it is true that God’s heart goes out to each, His hands can only grasp those hands that are lifted up in surrender. As Abraham faced old age, Moses the Pharaoh, and David the Philistine, we too must face our mountain with faith, even only with a ball of string, because a little is really a lot in the hands of God. As the Brooklyn Bible says, “Give ‘em whatever ya got.”
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
(note: reprinted from archives)
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