Student Daily Reflection

In today’s reading, we are presented with the noteworthy story of Adam and Eve. This story is a cornerstone of religious thought regarding the nature of God and human beings. After all, it is common to ask: “Why do people sin?” “What is the basis for human creation?” While these questions deserve more attention than this reflection can provide, it is still important to consider them. Human beings have a natural tendency to sin. We see in this passage just how sin fractures our standing not only with God, but also with one another. Much of this sin is perpetuated by worldly desires such as fame, fortune, and power. These desires, however, fail to satisfy what our heart truly longs for—the love of God. Our tendency to sin and become ashamed before God may be innate, but it is not final.

The Responsorial Psalm mirrors much of this discussion regarding power and wealth. There are times when we, as human beings, may almost believe that we are above God. It is important that we remember the mission of love and peace that God has given to us. God is many things to us. He is our advocate and ruler, but he is also our sustainer. He sustains humanity in its rightful position in the universe.

Finally, the Gospel reading from Mark presents us with another familiar story: the multiplication of loaves and fish. In this reading, Jesus is the intercessor between humanity and God. He provides us with a model for care in his attention to the hungry crowd, and yet he performs a miracle that none of us could begin to explain. What reason does Jesus have for doing this? Is he interested in only feeding the crowd, or is his focus also on proving the power that he possesses through his Father? We are called to read the story from both angles. Through faith, we can come to know Jesus through both of these ways.