Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Homily by Fr. Ruslan Babii on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 19, 2026
The love of Christ possesses a remarkable quality: the more it is shared, the more it increases. It is like a candle from which other candles are lit — they all burn brightly, yet the original flame loses neither its fire, nor its light, nor its warmth. In the same way, a person who does good kindles love in others and is spiritually enriched in return.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Gospel of this Sunday recounts one of the miracles of Jesus Christ — the multiplication of the five loaves and two fish, with which He fed five thousand men.
The people who had gathered to listen to the Word of God became so absorbed in Christ’s teaching that they forgot about their own hunger. Seeing their need, Jesus turned to His disciples and said: “You give them something to eat.” They were bewildered, for by human means such a thing was impossible. But what is impossible for man is possible for God. Christ blessed the bread, and in a moment the disciples themselves were distributing it, and there was enough for everyone. Where human ability reaches its limit, the power of God begins to act.
The purpose of this miracle was not merely to feed the people, but to lead them to faith. Christ revealed Himself as the Son of God, to whom all creation is subject. To believe in Him, therefore, also means to place genuine trust in God’s providence — a trust that does not allow us to lose hope even amid trials, because the Lord never abandons those who place their confidence in Him. Christ sees our needs, our difficulties and our fears. He knows the obstacles we struggle to overcome. He desires to nourish us with His grace so that we may find true life in Him, for He Himself is the Bread of Life.
It is especially significant that Jesus entrusted the blessed bread to the Apostles, and it was they who distributed it to the people. The Lord desired to make His disciples co-workers in His saving work. In the same way, we too are called to share the gifts entrusted to us, just as the Apostles did. These are the gifts that God has placed into our hands and entrusted us to steward wisely, always remembering that it is Christ Himself who stretches out His hand to us in the person of those who are in need. When we offer alms, we become capable of recognising Him. Then the Lord works even more powerfully through each one of us, granting us abilities, talents and vocations not for our own glory, but for the service of our neighbour. Jesus Himself said: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). These words are a guide for every Christian. The Apostle Peter likewise reminds us: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10).
The love of Christ possesses a remarkable quality: the more it is shared, the more it increases. It is like a candle from which other candles are lit — they all burn brightly, yet the original flame loses neither its fire, nor its light, nor its warmth. In the same way, a person who does good kindles love in others and is spiritually enriched in return. The world often teaches us to seek our own advantage. Yet selfishness only destroys. It destroys families, communities and even entire nations. Christ, however, offers us a different path — the path of self-sacrificing love and service. It is precisely this kind of love that has the power to transform human hearts and to renew our society.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, today the Lord invites us not only to marvel at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, but also to become instruments of His love ourselves. Let us place our trust in Christ, allow Him to bless all that we have, and use our gifts for the good of others. Then the Lord will multiply within our hearts faith, hope and love, and will lead us to the eternal banquet in the Kingdom of God.
Amen.
