Along the Way

Standing empty-handed before a hungry crowd at the end of a long day, the disciples ask Jesus to disperse the multitude. Jesus has other ideas. The disciples probably shake their heads in disbelief, as they approach the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. We know the story well, but sometimes overlook the significance of 12 baskets full of fragments. In other words, each disciple had to experience for himself, not merely observe, the awesome reality of gathering more that he started out with, even though in the form of fragments.

What does this story mean to you – since God is still speaking?  Was there a time in your life when you thought you just were not going to make it? And yet, here you are today, capable of reading and reflecting. So, somehow in the midst of feeling “hungry” and empty handed, you were fed courage and strength to struggle forward.

Like the disciples, you too will be amazed if you gather the fragments of your daily experiences. Fragments are, after all, visible signs of an abundance often unrecognized. Can you allow yourself to bathe in the awesome reality of how you were “stranded” and then somehow fed, cared for, and rescued in ways you had not even imagined? Take a moment to cherish and relish your own unbelievable experiences.  Blessings on your time of reflection as you discover the miracles that have taken place in your own Journey along the Way.  -Jackie F.