The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

In the Gospel for today we see our Lord surrounded by a multitude of more than five thousand people who never tire of hearing His holy Word. The boy's five barley loaves in the hands of Jesus are multiplied in such a manner that they not only sufficed to satisfy all the people but more is left them there was at first, for they filled twelve baskets with the fragments.

We possess five loaves of bread, which has a still more miraculous effect than the five loaves that were blessed by Christ, for our five loaves nourish our soul for eternal life.

The first loaf of bread is the bread of doctrine. It enlightens man so that he knows what is for his salvation and it moves him to conversion. When St. Peter first preached to the Jews at Pentecost. They had compunction in their heart, then they understood the grievousness of their sin in having crucified Jesus. And they said to Peter and the other apostles: "What shall we do men and brethren?" But Peter said to them: "Do penance and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins..." They, therefore, that received his word were baptized. Now the word of God enlightens us to this day. How many sinners by hearing a sermon, come to the knowledge of the wretched dangerous condition of their soul and resolve to do penance!

The second loaf of bread is the bread of good example. Good example covers worldlings and sinners with wholesome confusion. It gives them courage and strength to control their passions and to renounce their sinful life; powerfully works upon them and induces them to amend. If we consider the humility of the saints, which was so great that they rejoiced when they were treated as the vilest of men; their meekness, which even the grossest offenses could not overcome; their love of God, which was prepared at any moment to sacrifice everything for Christ, even life itself; their charity, which found its happiness in wiping away the tears of poverty and wretchedness; and if you compare yourself with them, must you not full of shame, cast down your eyes and say with a sigh: "Oh, what were the saints and what am I!" St. Augustine was for many years a slave to the lowest passions; by little and little he came to see how odious his life was, but he felt too weak to break the fetters of sin. He considered the lives of the saints, and saw the thousands of them in the midst of the world, and under the greatest temptations, preserve their innocence; he saw that great sinners tore themselves away from vice, and dedicated the remainder of their life to God and the exercises of the most austere penance; and these examples gave him courage, so that, full of determination he exclaimed: "if these could do this. Why cannot I?" And from that moment he bade farewell to his worldly and sinful life, courageously began to do penance, and became a great saint.

The third loaf of bread is the bread of tribulation. Very few care for this bread, and when we pray give us this day our daily bread. There is surely not one among us who entertains the will and desire that God should send him afflictions and tribulations for his daily bread. And yet it is an incontrovertible truth that tribulation is a very good bread and that it would be almost impossible without it to obtain the life of grace here and the life of glory hereafter.

The fourth loaf of bread is the bread of Confession. With this bread we obtain forgiveness of all sins committed after baptism; we obtain the remission of the eternal and part of the temporal punishment due to sin. We gain sanctifying grace and with it adoption as sons of God and the right to heaven.

The fifth and last loaf of bread is the bread of Holy Communion. The bread which is given us in Holy Communion is not real bread like that which He fed the five thousand men in the desert. It has only the form of bread, but in reality it is The Body of Christ or Christ Himself true God and true Man. Christ Himself the Eternal Truth is our guarantee. "If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever." The effect of Holy Communion is life everlasting. He that Communicated worthily preserves the life of grace upon earth.

These are the five loaves of bread which the grace of God has prepared for the nourishment of our souls. Accept them with a grateful heart from the hand of God and employ them for our salvation. Love to hear the word of God which is preached to us so often and make it the rule of our lives. Look frequently at the example of the saints and pious Christians in order to be encouraged thereby to serve God. Follow Christ gladly on the Way of the Cross that we may also be allowed to follow Him into the glory of heaven. Receive the holy sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist frequently and always with a heart well prepared, that thus we may become partakers of the great graces which are connected with the worthy reception of these holy sacraments. Amen.

Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?