Economy of Good
Against the economy of profit
The permeability of God's works. And only the way changes. Feeding the hungry and large crowd is the problem of every generation. Because although the earth can feed all of humanity, we struggle with the awareness that people are dying of hunger. We cannot share! First, we count losses and gains, and only then we think about charity. The economy of money is inexorably killing the economy of love.
A test of means and attitudes (which is what I have and how do I handle it)
The Lord Jesus tests Philip and thus all the disciples today. After all, we humanly know that we cannot buy food for two hundred denarii to satisfy hunger. This test is about the way we think. The reaction to the test speaks of our categories of approaching reality. Philip presents a man dealing with matters without reference to God. He stops on human resources, and precisely shows deficiencies that make it impossible to implement the request based on previously made observation (numerous crowds following them for a long time). Peter, however, comes up a little differently. In his (and not only in his) helplessness, he does not go straight to the way of solving the problem (how) but looks humbly at the material in his hands. If a tailor does not have enough material, he will never sew a beautiful suit, but that does not mean that he cannot sew trousers. A student who has processed only fragments of books goes to the exam (although he realizes that he may not pass it). Peter notices what is at hand, with Philip it is rather what one would have to have to do to resolve the situation. How these discoveries are disproportionate to each other, because on the one hand there is a large crowd, and on the other, only five barley loaves and two fish, and in addition owned by a little boy. What need to be done? Present it to God, with some comment: here is what we have, and we do not know what to do with it. Well, what next? Following Peter's example, the situation is left to the Lord Jesus, it is put into His hands.
The economy of multiplying a good (and not goods)
It is worth emphasizing the fact that the disciples did not have bread. Reflecting on, we can come to the conclusion that if one boy had this amount of food, how much of this food was in the possession of adults? And howmany adults? We come back to the profit economy. It leads to the economy of keeping for myself (also letting go of what I have can be hiding for myself!) And a fear that it does not get lost. This event shows that only the one who shares from his belongings will see miracles in his life. It is priceless to see a smile on a child's dirty but well-fed face. The sharing economy, contrary to human logic, is the economy of the multiplication of good. Perhaps it is not a multiplication of goods at all. We know perfectly well that those who have a lot often give out of what is left over for them. In the logic of love is giving out of what we have, even if it costs. The measure is not the quantity, but the heart inserted in, because this is where the source of quality is. Let us recall the poor widow's two coins and the great offerings of the rich made to the temple treasury, to which the Lord Jesus referred.
By giving up what is possible to God, we obtain His blessing. Man takes up the call of the moment with courage. God accepts such entrustment and multiplies (one must exclude thinking about profit). Only after it turns out that they have become witnesses of an abundance (So they gathered and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves that were left over after they all ate). Often, we do not see the end of our actions, which is good, because how can you immediately harvest from the seed that has been sown? Someone sows, another waters, another collects. There is one basis for everything: God makes it grow! And He exceeds all our imaginations.
In looking at such situations, Gamaliel's words to the members of the Sanhedrin can be a good maxim: “For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:39). First, knowing that building on God turns good intentions into good works, and God's works last forever. How many times have we found that without God there is no way out?
One thought from Pope Francis
“The problem is not feeding the poor, or clothing the naked, or visiting the sick, but rather recognizing that the poor, the naked, the sick, prisoners, and the homeless have the dignity to sit at our table, to feel at home among us, to feel part of a family. This is the sign that Kingdom of Heaven is in our midst”. (Pope Francis, Let us Dream, page 113)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george