Since the year 2008 we’ve been living in financial crisis. Cuts, austerity measures, bailouts, recessions – these are the keywords used to describe our economic misery. Politicians propose a variety of solutions, quite often mutually contradictory. One of the most popular is giving away money, directly or indirectly. With regard to other nations or countries, we call this approach populism. With regard to ourselves, we think that we simply deserve it. Many words have been said about Greece – but that country’s economic situation was a textbook example of populism in the making, and now it’s a clear illustration of its results.
The story in today’s gospel could be a starting point for populist power for Jesus. It seems that he knows what he is doing. His question to Philip: ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ is only a test. ‘He himself knew exactly what he was going to do.’ Jesus seems to be a skilful politician, exploiting this particular opportunity. His plan works, as the sated crowd wants to proclaim Jesus a king. Is it actually his plan? Surprisingly he moves away to the hills, escaping from the crowd. His decision is hard to understand.
Today’s gospel is the starting point for a much longer passage. For the next four weeks Jesus will be explaining the deeper meaning of this apparent miracle of multiplied food. It’s not a big secret that in the end all those people currently full of admiration will leave Jesus, sometimes with a hostile attitude; only his closest disciple will stay with him.
In public debate quite often politicians, thinkers, commentators and journalists demand that the Church should ‘modernize’ its teaching. I strongly agree that in the Church we dramatically need to modernize the language we speak and the approach we present. We need to articulate far more understanding, mercy, empathy and support. We should be forgiving, not judgemental – as nobody among us is perfect or sinless. But sometimes I have the impression that some people expect the Church to abandon its principles in the name of a falsely understanding of humanity. Jesus loves sinners, but it doesn’t mean that he accepts their sins. We shouldn’t be surprised that, in many aspects, the teaching of the Church is unpopular and controversial in the eyes of the fashionable and modern world.
The mood of the crowd is fickle. Its acceptance and admiration can turn into disregard and hostility very quickly. As Christians we are called to be salt of the earth and light of the world. Looking desperately for the world’s acceptance at any price, we will become stale, tasteless salt – and effectively completely redundant.