Note: On Fridays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.
It was a simple question, really. As John’s Gospel notes, Jesus already knew how he was going to feed the crowd. Still, he asked Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
Jesus didn’t ask how much money it would take, which was the question Philip answered 
(“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough”). He also didn’t ask if there was any food nearby, which was the question Andrew answered (“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?”).
Sometimes, we answer God’s rhetorical questions in a manner similar to the two apostles. He asks, “How can we walk more closely?” and we natter on about how busy we are with our family, work, and other obligations. He asks, “Where can we go to find help for the afflicted?” and we talk about the social services and parish ministries in which we’re not engaged that assist the homeless, the hungry and the dispossessed.
Just as the questions are simple, so are the answers, at least in theory: “I trust you and have faith in your wisdom and love. Show me my little part, and I’ll do it.” May we find the courage to listen to what we’re being asked… and to let down our barriers so God can use us as he desires to do his work.
