When I was a kid I spent the summer at Boy Scout Camp. One of the most anticipated events of the week was the meal when we got Tater-Tots. If you have never had Tater-Tots, they are like little barreled hash-browns; they’re like bite-sized, greasy, fried, potatoey goodness. At camp, meals were served family style. We had like 10-12 boys per table. The waiter would bring a bowl of Tater-Tots and we'd have to share. In theory it works. I’m sure it looks good on paper. But 12-15 year old boys aren’t good at sharing. As the bowl went around the table everyone would take a big heaping portion because we never knew if we’d have enough or if there’d be seconds. By the time the last person at the table got the bowl there were usually only 1 or 2 tater tots left.
I don't know if you have ever had Tater-Tots? If you’ve never had them, they’re pretty good. But even if you’ve never had tater-tot’s maybe you’ve had the experience of having to share something like a cake or a pie, and you’ve wondered if there’d be enough left for you? Maybe you’ve even been the last person who got like 1-2 tater-tots, or a little piece of frosting. Whatever it is, it’s a pretty common experience: this fear of sharing; the fear that there isn’t enough to go around, the fear that there won’t be enough for me. And often when we feel that way, we react by clinging, or hoarding or taking more than we need. The fear that we won’t have enough left over for ourselves can keep us from being generous with what we have.
In the Gospel today the Twelve Apostles had only five loaves of bread and two fish. It wasn’t enough even for themselves, let alone the crowd who had come to hear Jesus. But they trusted their inadequate supply of food to Jesus and they generously shared what they had with others. Because fear didn’t stop them from being generous, the Lord performed a miracle. No one went hungry. No one was left with 1-2 Tater-Tots. Everyone had enough.
Now some commentators will suggest that in the presence of Jesus there was a heightened sense of peace and brotherhood and so when the basket of food came around everyone took just a little bit, and they were content with just a little. But I went to Boy Scout camp. I know better. I don’t think it went down that way. I like to think everyone took a big heaping portion. And that the miracle was not that everyone learned to share, but that God took the generosity of man and multiplied it. God will never be outdone in generosity.
As Christians our mission in the world is to show forth the love of God. The only way some people will ever know the love and generosity of God is if they experience it through us. And so we shouldn’t be stingy with the gifts God has given us. God doesn’t cling or hoard. Christ shows us that God gives everything and holds nothing back. And as Christians we need to love like that! In fact, this is the new commandment Jesus gave us. He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” And He said, “This is how the world will know you are my disciples: by your love for one another.”
The good news we heard in the Gospel today is that we don’t need to be afraid. We don’t have to fear giving 100% or going all in. We don’t have to be afraid that there won’t be enough left over for ourselves. Because God will not be outdone in generosity. Every time we come to the Eucharist, Christ obliterates this fear in us. What would the world look like if we were more truly an Eucharistic people? If we lived without fear. If we gave and shared our gifts. If we went “all in”? My brothers and sisters, what holds you back? What do you fear? Be not afraid: God will not be outdone in generosity.
Listen to the homily.
