Miracles in Elisha, Paul, and John's Gospel today

Imagine we are at the beach with friends and family, having a BBQ. Everyone we invited brought an unexpected guest, making the party a lot bigger than we thought. The last thing you want is to be thought of as a bad host and you are worried that your guests will think you stingy. Is there enough food to go around? The anxiety passes, as you realize that you bought more than enough food, and several of the guests also brought something to share. People are having fun, taking what they need, and are paying much more attention to the beautiful sunshine, the warm sand, and the sound of the waves. Ultimately, there is plenty of food to go around and you even have some leftovers to take home.
The most profound Biblical story of abundance and generosity, the story of the loaves and fishes is also one of the most accessible and popular of all the miracles Jesus performed. In fact, the story of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle to appear in all of the gospels—something that clearly indicates its importance. When viewed in light of an earlier event in which Elisha distributed loaves of bread during a time of famine, we can learn how God always does provide even when material goods seem scarce.
There are some interesting differences in Elisha’s story and that of Jesus. Whereas Elisha had an abundance of bread to distribute, Jesus worked with only a few loaves, which he miraculously multiplied into a quantity sufficient to feed the masses. Both Elisha and Jesus think of others, and how they can participate in prospering others rather than themselves. One of the central lessons to be learned from these miracles is that when we are generous with others, abundance also flows to us. This is a spiritual law, which is clearly repeated and outlined throughout scripture to underline its importance. Having faith in God means knowing that even when times seem tough, God always does provide. In both the Old and New Testament, we see God provides more than enough.
It is also important to point out that when Jesus performs the miracle of the loaves and fishes, it was read as a clear sign that he was the Messiah. The material world can often be a gauge of God’s love for us, encouraging us to always have faith, particularly when we may be most prone to doubt. There is always enough for everyone, always enough to go around.
Hoarding and greed are an affront to God’s love. Just consider what would have happened if Elisha did not distribute the bread; does bread last forever? What good does stale or moldy bread do to anyone? When we share, we ensure that each member of the community has the capacity to create wealth in their own way.
Also if you fear that you will not have enough, what does that mean? It means you lack faith. We can also think of it as the difference between having a consciousness of abundance and a consciousness of poverty. A consciousness of poverty is one that continually focuses on what we do not have, whereas the consciousness of abundance is a mindset that focuses on all the riches in our life: whether material or spiritual. Being grateful for what we have, thankful for God’s love, yields abundance.
Elisha and Jesus also teach the importance of generosity and being a giving person. You have heard of the difference between givers and takers. Those who are greedy are takers; they fear lack and believe there is not enough to go around so they hoard and do not share. Not only does greed create unhappiness, it also signifies lack. Those who are generous and share their wealth create opportunities for greater abundance as they increase the overall wealth in their social circles.
The phrase “pay it forward” is also something that we can learn from the miracle of the loaves and fishes. When we have been shown tremendous generosity from others, resist the urge to hang onto that, and instead pass on that wealth and abundance to others. Spreading wealth to others as Elisha and Jesus distribute bread is the only way to increase prosperity on the planet.



References

“Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.”