Today’s first reading illustrates the Israelites’ frustration with their immediate physical needs and desires clashing with the spiritual endgame of freedom and autonomy they have long been seeking. The monotony of their daily journey, typified by a blandness of diet, leads them to focus on deprivation rather than gratitude for their deliverance from Egypt and for the manna God has provided to sustain them. Even Moses becomes disillusioned, complaining to God that the people, in their discontent, have become a burden to him and that he seeks the relief of death! Sometimes in our recovery, we, too, lose sight of the depth of darkness from which God has delivered us. We may feel flat, bored, grumpy, or simply “out of sorts” for periods of time for no apparent reason, despite the fact that we have remained sober on a daily basis.

These glimpses of “the desert” in our lives challenge us to persevere and persist. God is calling us to accept that life in recovery does not shield us from the normal undulations that include troughs and peaks. We must take the leap of faith that God is still present and speaking to us in those “down” times and, perhaps, even more so in those depths. In today’s Gospel reading, the disciples want to dismiss the crowd because there is little food on hand to feed them. Jesus’ response is to provide, in abundance, the nourishment (both physical and spiritual) the people need. Presumably, the large crowd gathered before Him is made up of people experiencing life’s ups and downs. Jesus is present and seeking relationship and union with each and every one of them. The same is true for each of us.

Reflection Questions

• How do life’s “undulations” impact the way you perceive and pursue your recovery?
• What are the habits and practices you can employ to fortify and prepare yourself for the “troughs” that inevitably occur in life and recovery?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Numbers 11:4b-15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 81:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

Reflection by Mark L.