When you do good things, when you do a favor for your friend, when you volunteer

in a community-extension program, or even when you simply pick up a piece of

litter, you also get others who see your good deed to admire you. They would also
do good things. When you try to make a difference, like if you happen to see
corruption in your municipality, would you think that whistle blowing will not be
enough? If others dont follow what you did, truly it might not be enough. But if they
also whistle blew, your act of whistle blowing surely can make a huge change.
In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus has made five loaves of bread and two fishes enough
for five thousand men plus women and children. How had he made that possible?
Although I do not contend that Christ had not done a miracle, logically speaking,
what happened might have been that His sharing of the small amount of food
encouraged those who had brought food to also share. With everyone breaking their
bread, eating only until filled, then sharing the rest, no wonder there are sacks of
excess. Jesus showed a moral example and stressed the value of selflessness.
In elementary, I was told by my mom not to lend my notes because often I copied a
more detailed lecture than my classmates at the expense of me not listening that
attentively to the teacher. Probably my mom was contending it was unfair that
during tests I get a lower score than my other classmates who did not have a
lecture and who only borrowed notes from me. After some time of not lending my
classmates my notes for any reason, suddenly, I was excused from class and I
needed to copy lectures. Most of my classmates whom I denied my lecture did not
let me copy their notes. And I realized the full extent of what I did. It isnt right to
reject someone without hearing their reason. For all I know, someone who was
absent the previous day or someone who felt sick during class asked me for my
notes. So when someone lent me notes, I was really thankful. And I became more
sympathetic and selfless.
In the gospel, I was like among those who followed Jesus to seek help. In a simple
sense, I was, but still, desperate. I needed to copy notes as soon as possible or if
not, I could get a low score in a sudden quiz. Fortunately someone was there to
forgive me for my selfishness and lend me notes. And from then on, I did lend my
notes. It was like the domino effect.
Most probably there are good deeds we can and should do but whose extent we just
hadnt imagined. Maybe you think that saying sorry isnt needed, much like how the
apostles recommended sending the people home and letting them feed themselves.
Why feed five thousand men when they can buy from town themselves? Anyways,
can you feed them with just five loaves and two fishes? Why say sorry when we can
just avoid and let them be? Can we even stomach to admit our shortcomings? You
see that there is the issue of considering the alternative of Not Doing it and the
issue of whether we could even do it. But if we think about it real hardly, not doing
the right thing makes a significant difference. If Jesus had just sent the thousand
men home and let them worry about themselves, sick people who hadnt been able

to meet Jesus to be healed would have been truly disappointed. Not saying sorry
could have caused that person to despise you. The difference could mean the world.
Perhaps in saying sorry, that person could even be your friend, and/or he/she might
have been encouraged to also say sorry to another person he/she caused pain to.
The domino could have reached an extent that many people forgave sins of each
other ultimately leading to solidarity in the community.