Jesus didn't make His own bread

St Leo the Great tells us about Jesus as both giver and receiver when we help the poor today in A Year with the Church Fathers.

And what he said made me think. It never occurred to me before, but the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves is a great picture of how He allows us to participate in His work all of the time. See, when Jesus saw that the crowd was hungry, He didn't go make bread. He didn't go buy bread. He asked His followers what they had. When they offered what little they possessed, He took it and multiplied it to meet the needs.

He does that with us, too, every day. COULD Jesus have made His own bread and fed the hungry? Of course. He can do anything. But He chooses to give us, His followers, the privilege of being part of His work. He turns to us, just as He turned to His disciples back then, and asks what WE have with which we can meet the needs of the world. And when we give our little bit, which we already know is far too little to meet so great a need... He takes it, and He multiplies it.

So even if you only have a tiny pittance... even when you might be tempted NOT to give because you're concerned that it's too little... don't hold back. Give what little you have. He'll take it and work wonders.

God, thank You for Your wonderful acts of multiplication.