Daily Devotional for November 16

 

November 16                                              Matthew 16:1-12

                      "Do you not remember...?"

Today's Gospel invites us to grow from the milk of infant
discipleship that seeks signs of God's love to the solid food of
mature faith that believes without seeing. It shows us the
disciples, after two separate multiplications of loaves, show-
ing up for a meal without bringing any bread at all! In response,
Jesus calls them "people of little faith" whose attitude resembles
that of the Pharisees and Sadducees in that they seek signs of
God's favor without developing faith in God. They are like
children who seek the gift and forget the giver.

To the unbelieving Pharisees and Sadducees Jesus promises only
"the sign of Jonah." To the disciples Jesus asks: "Do you not
remember the five loaves of the five thousand... or the seven
loaves of the four thousand...?" For these, like the sign of
Jonah, are signs of his death and Resurrection, when he trusting-
ly placed himself in God's hands to be raised on the third day.
That is why at the Last Supper, when he broke the bread, he
said, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remem-
brance of me." (Luke 22:19)

The point is this: there are times when, in order to lead us into
a fuller life, God removes the signs of God's love which we
have grown accustomed to. There may even be times when
we are invited to walk in total darkness, as Jesus did in his pas-
sion and death. But no matter how deep the darkness of such
times, there always remains one sign of God's abiding love that
Jesus tells us to remember: a little piece of bread broken and
multiplied to feed the world. Therefore, let us pray today:
"Lord, give us this bread always." (John 6:34)

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From The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C.198