17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
July 26, 2009

The first reading today (from 1Kings) and the Gospel selection (John) both deal with hungry crowds and divine intervention. The feeding of the hungry crowd was a pre-figuring of the Eucharist. Jesus came to nourish the body and the soul.
We live in a skeptical age. Miracles are so much “fluff” and if they did happen at all it was a very long time ago. Whenever I read the Gospel accounts of the miracle of the loaves and fishes my mind shifts from Palestine 2000 years ago to the 20th and 21st centuries. Some theologians and writers try to explain away the loaves and fishes in ways that are not miraculous. They have a range of theories and explanations. I can tell you that, with all due respect, these theologians and writers are wrong—completely, totally and unequivocally wrong.
If the Spirit can work these kind of miracles today, Christ most certainly wouldn’t have had any problem multiplying the loaves and fishes.
During the Great Depression in Detroit (the first one, not the one now) the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen (still operating today). On at least a couple occasions Solanus Casey acted as a conduit for God. The monastery on one occasion ran out of bread. Fr. Solanus in his mild way wasn’t worried. “God will provide.” Those waiting to be fed joined in prayer with Solanus and when they finished a baker came to the front door with a big basket of food. On another occasion with the ranks of the homeless and desperately poor swelling as the Depression deepened, a bread truck made a delivery at the monastery. There was obviously not enough to feed everyone. Fr. Solanus again prayed and they started to unload the truck. Enough bread was unloaded to feed everyone. The thing is though, that the quantity of bread unloaded far exceeded the capacity of the truck.
In 1972, a Jesuit by the name of Rick Thomas ran a bible study class in El Paso. El Paso, Texas is directly across from Juarez, Mexico and the home to the “Dump People” – people who live in the garbage dump and scrounge for food and usable items that can be sold so they can eke out some kind of a living (as meager as it is). Fr. Rick’s Bible study decided to follow the gospel and prepared Christmas dinner for the men, women and children living in the dump. It was pot-luck. Some brought bologna sandwiches, others some fruit, tamales and burritos, candy and one ham. They had food for about 125 people. When the Bible study group started serving, more and more people appeared. In all, somewhere around 350 people wer3e fed. Everyone got full portions, everyone was able to take bags of food back to their homes and there was more than enough left over to take to two orphanages. The one ham—well, those serving it kept slicing and slicing and everyone of the 350 got ham slices with enough left over to take home and to take to the orphanages.
Christmas 2002 in the Cass Corridor. A complete Christmas dinner was fixed, turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, dessert—the works. Enough was prepared for 225 (maybe 250 people if it was stretched). Everyone who came was fed. The last person came, got a full meal and that was the end of the food. Later it was learned that it wasn’t 250 people who were served but around 430 people.
What do these four events have in common with today’s Gospel. Obviously it’s Christ’s love of the poor and the power of prayer and faith.
Peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com


PBJ-In almost seven years this is the first time that I have ever come to you to ask for financial help. I don’t have to be reminded on how bad things are economically. Because of this downturn in the economy our outlay of assistance has been stretched. Of course our primary mission is to feed and clothe the homeless and marginalized poor in the Cass Corridor and in SE Michigan. That will never change. What has changed though is where the requests for help are coming from. At least 95% of those in desperate need of help are in Western Wayne County (Plymouth-Canton-Westland-Northville). The PBJ has turned into a last chance resource. Obviously we are not equipped to handle everyone who needs help. I firmly believe that the people who come to us are inspired by the Spirit. I could give example after example of talking to people, meeting with them, interacting with them only to find out at the very end that they have no place to turn. Up to this point we have been able to help those who most need help. We are now barely meeting our monthly expenses for food and other items that we give out on Saturday morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in Detroit. In other words, we are cut down to no “frills.” That means that those individuals who need help the most will not be able to receive it.
This article is the hardest one I’ve ever had to write. I hate asking you to burden yourselves with even more financial outlay than you have now. If there was any other way, I would do it. There isn’t. Please help. If it is impossible to help financially, please pray to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance for this ministry. (Even if you can help financially, please pray too.) In know that through prayers, trust and faith, all things can be accomplished.
In Christ’s Peace
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818

CLOTHES CLOSET: At some point we hope to be moving our operation from the “Gathering Space” to the garage at the old rectory. Until that time, we WILL BE OPERATING FROM THE GATHERING SPACE. I know this isn’t the ideal situation but please bear with us. The clothes we have received are absolutely incredible. ANYONE who needs business clothes (whether you are entering the job market for the first time or re-entering the job market) please give me a call. I’m available most of the time. There is no cost to this service and it is completely confidential. Deacon Tim