When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat. (John 6: 12-13)
During the summers growing up, we would head to the lake for a weekend getaway. It was always great fun to dangle our feet in the water and splash and catch a fish or two.
During college, I would return to the farm during the summers. I was invited to help out at the parish. It was the summer our parish was asked to cover Sunday Mass at the lake. An outdoor pavilion had been built with a concrete floor and a roof with open walls. A picnic table was used for an altar while people sat at the other picnic tables. However, it was always a challenge to know how much bread to consecrate. We would do a head count, but that didn’t always work with latercomers.
One Sunday, Fr. Dan made the comment, “We are in Kansas, the bread basket of the world. Put in extra hosts. Heaven forbid we run out of hosts in the middle of wheat country!” And there was always just the right amount. What a great joy it was to celebrate Mass with the lake behind us in the great outdoors. Always enough to celebrate and share.
Rev. Timothy Armbruster, C.PP.S.
Kansas City Province