Miracle -- a wonderful happening; something marvelous.
Magic -- pretended or supposedly art of using secret charms; of mysterious influence; the are or skill of creating illusions.
John 6: 1-15 " Jesus Feeds Five Thousand"
13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.
As a child, i had my own interpretation, imagination of what happened that day. I would always imagine Jesus performing magic --- Avarakadavra! and the 5 barley loaves turned to thousands of loaves!I imagined Jesus snapping His fingers and the thousands of loaves appeared before the crowd. But as I grew older and grew more matured in faith, I realized the meaning of these verses. Through the help of homilies and readings, I have seen a deeper meaning of the multiplication of the bread. I have also learned that miracles are not magic. This is a miracle.
When Jesus gave thanks and distributed the bread to those close to Him, the others who had their own loaves shared to those near them. The act of kindness and love Jesus showed spread off and everybody present there showed the same. That's the miracle -- from being self-centered to others-centered, from being selfish to selfless through sharing.
That miracle which happened thousands of years ago didn't die there. Up to this day, we can still see and experience that same miracle in our life. When there seemed to be no way out, you'll find a hand helping you get through. What happened to Guinsaugon, Leyte was terrible. People became homeless, worse, lost family members. Going back to normal life seemed impossible, especially the basic needs of the people. But, miracle came... people without names, and names without faces started sharing. Workers came rushing to help find family members down with the muds whether alive or dead. The act of sharing in itself is a miracle. The time spent by those people who where physically present is a miracle.
John 6:1-15 was the Gospel reading last sunday, July 30, 2006. It was also the inaguaration day of the new High School Campus in Tumaga. Exactly a year ago, many people felt that it's only a vision to put up a school in Tumaga. But what stands in the middle of that vast land is the High School building. When the names of the benefactors were read, it made me go back the Gospel reading. People shared. It's that same miracle which happened thousands of years ago.
