오늘 복음에서 볼 수 있는 대로, 예수님께서는 외딴곳으로 물러가시지만 사람들은 여전히 그분을 따르고 있습니다. 먹을거리는 벌써 동이 났습니다. 사 먹을 장소도 없습니다. ‘이대로 굶어야 하는가? 그건 아닐 것이다.’ 사람들은 막연한 희망을 갖고 있었습니다.
사막을 오가며 장사하는 이들에게는 물이 곧 생명입니다. 때때로 그들은 죽음보다 더한 목마름을 체험합니다. 그럼에도 그들은 희망으로 버티어 낸다고 합니다. 참고 기다리면 오아시스를 만난다는 희망입니다. 그 일념을 살리지 못하면 목마름에 쓰러집니다. 희망은 그 자체가 힘이라는 것을 알 수 있습니다.
인생의 사막도 마찬가지입니다. 고통에 직면한 이에게 정작 필요한 것은 희망입니다. 포기는 희망을 ??때 생겨납니다. 남들은 별것 아니라고 말하지만, 본인에게는 충격적인 사건이 있는 법입니다. 예수님을 따라가다 먹을 것이 떨어진 군중도 같은 처지였습니다.
기다린 사람만이 기적의 음식을 먹을 수 있었습니다. 남은 빵이 열두 광주리에 가득 찰 만큼 풍족한 식사였습니다. 그들에게 이제 두려움은 사라졌습니다. 앞날에는 겁날 것도 없습니다. 예수님께서는 희망보다 더한 확신을 주셨습니다. 어쩌면 빵을 먹은 기쁨보다 주님의 능력을 확인한 기쁨이 더 컸을 것입니다. 그러니 오늘 기적의 핵심은 굶주림의 해결에 있는 것이 아닙니다. 이루어질 것 같지 않던 희망이 이루어졌다는 데 있습니다.
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Is 55:1-3
Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.
Ps 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18
R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Rom 8:35, 37-39
Brothers and sisters: What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Mt 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over— twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.
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