LOAVES AND FISHES

A couple Sundays ago the selected gospel reading was John's account of the off-told story about Jesus distributing a few loaves and fishes to hundreds of people who were following him. Surely it was a miracle. All I can think of when I hear it is a story told me by my father.

My dad was the youngest of twelve. One of his older brothers, Harold, was what his Irish parents referred to as a 'stinker'. He was a handful for any generation. Anyway, my dad's mother was in failing health and was not able to get out of the house. Each Sunday, she saw that the six boys got dressed in their best and she sent them off to church. My dad was eight or ten at the time and Harold was a teenager. Well, Harold wouldn't go to church. He would look for a dice game or just hang out with some of his buddies. He would meet up with his brothers on the way home from church. When they walked in, each week their mother would ask Harold what the gospel reading was that day. Each Sunday, Harold would say "The loaves and the fishes, Mom." The other boys snickered to themselves but that seemed to satisfy their mother. My guess was, she was tired of fighting with him.
:D