Genesis 3:9-24 / Mark 8:1-10
Many questions have been asked about sin and suffering.
Questions like is there a connection between sin and innocent suffering.
So, as much as the reality of sin is not denied, yet the aspect of suffering as a consequence of sin is not readily accepted.
Especially innocent suffering, or as a consequence of other people's sin.
Some may even question the inheritance of Original Sin, since it was the sin of Adam and Eve, and it should have nothing to do with them.
Well, we will always have our questions about sin and suffering.
But let us listen to what questions God is asking us.
In the 1st reading, we heard God asking the question - Where are you?
So even though Adam and Even had sinned, God did not abandon them but searches for them.
In the gospel, we hear Jesus asking another question - How many loaves have you?
Jesus was not looking at the limitations; He was more interested in possibilities.
God is reaching out to us with His questions so that we may look again at our questions about life, about sin and about suffering.
And Jesus is asking us to put the loaves of our lives with its questions into His hands.
From His hands we will receive the Bread of Life that will give us faith and hope to walk on in love, despite and in spite of our questions.