Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
John Maria Vianney
Matthew 14:13-21
Bread in Christ’s hands

In today’s Gospel, we are invited to rediscover a well-known passage—not as a miracle of multiplication, but as a parable of compassion, sharing, and the beginning of a new world. Jesus, moved by deep compassion for the sick and broken humanity before him, invites the disciples to do more than just sympathise. He invites them to act. “Give them something to eat yourselves.”

This simple command challenges the logic of the old world, where the hungry are told to fend for themselves, where only those with means are served, and where the needs of the weakest are overlooked. Jesus proposes something new: a world not built on buying and selling, but on self-giving and sharing. When the disciples offer the little they have, Jesus blesses it and gives it back—not to the crowd directly—but to the disciples to distribute. The miracle is not the creation of bread from nothing, but the transformation of hearts from fear to generosity, from selfishness to communion.

St. John Mary Vianney, whose memorial we celebrate today, lived this Gospel with simplicity and conviction. In his small parish of Ars, he broke the bread of Christ’s mercy daily—through confession, Eucharist, and tireless love. Like the disciples in the Gospel, he offered what little he had, and God made it fruitful.

In every Eucharist, Jesus takes our lives, blesses them, and gives them back so we may share ourselves with others. When we follow his example—living not for ourselves but for the good of others—we see the dawn of the new world Jesus came to bring. The bread truly becomes broken for all. May we, like St. John Vianney, become bread in Christ’s hands, given for the life of the world.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025