Dearest e-votees-
This week's gospel text is one of the 4 appearances of the feeding of the 5,000 (and then some). The other 3 can be found at Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-15. This is the only miracle that Jesus performs that appears in all 4 canonical gospels. Perhaps we would do well to pay attention to this uniquely honored occurrence.
Peace,
Karl
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13 Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist as recorded in Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29], he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:13-21, NRSV
Jesus had every right and reason to be aloof and broody. His cousin had become a ghastly party favor in response to a sordid dance on the king's behalf. John said that he must decrease in order that Christ might increase. I wonder if he knew he would decrease so very much. John's disciples bear the news to Jesus. Jesus bears the news on his heart. By all rights he should have some time to collect himself, to rage, to grieve and to manage his good-byes.
But the crowd came looking for Jesus. They were hungry spiritually and by the end of the day hungry in body as well. No one could have blamed Jesus if he excused himself or just phoned it in that day but he didn't. He was stirred with compassion for the people. Jesus knew that he must increase in order to give the people what is necessary. He knew about the cross. I wonder if he knew how much might be required of him so soon after his cousin and forerunner's death.
John 6:9 tells us the source of the foodstuffs was a little boy's lunch. But, really, how far could two fish and five loaves go among five thousand men and the accompanying women and the accompanying children? Apparently it could go pretty far. After feeding everyone until the point of full the twelve disciples went out among the people and collected twelves basketfuls of leftovers. I imagine each of them going a different way with his own basket collecting hunks of fish and bits of bread. Each fills his basket to the point of overfilling. Surely they must be asking "Where in the world did all this come from? The kids' lunch wouldn't even cover the bottom of my basket!"
God sated the spiritual hunger of the people with authoritative teaching. God sated the physical hunger of the people with food shared with blessing and breaking and giving (sound familiar?). We gather in worship to be fed spiritually with scripture and graciously with bread and wine that is God's body and blood. God is still in the business of meeting our needs. And there is always more left over for others.
God, help us bear food--spiritual and physical--out to a hungry, hungry world. Amen.
This week's gospel text is one of the 4 appearances of the feeding of the 5,000 (and then some). The other 3 can be found at Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-15. This is the only miracle that Jesus performs that appears in all 4 canonical gospels. Perhaps we would do well to pay attention to this uniquely honored occurrence.
Peace,
Karl
------------
13 Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist as recorded in Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29], he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus had every right and reason to be aloof and broody. His cousin had become a ghastly party favor in response to a sordid dance on the king's behalf. John said that he must decrease in order that Christ might increase. I wonder if he knew he would decrease so very much. John's disciples bear the news to Jesus. Jesus bears the news on his heart. By all rights he should have some time to collect himself, to rage, to grieve and to manage his good-byes.
But the crowd came looking for Jesus. They were hungry spiritually and by the end of the day hungry in body as well. No one could have blamed Jesus if he excused himself or just phoned it in that day but he didn't. He was stirred with compassion for the people. Jesus knew that he must increase in order to give the people what is necessary. He knew about the cross. I wonder if he knew how much might be required of him so soon after his cousin and forerunner's death.
John 6:9 tells us the source of the foodstuffs was a little boy's lunch. But, really, how far could two fish and five loaves go among five thousand men and the accompanying women and the accompanying children? Apparently it could go pretty far. After feeding everyone until the point of full the twelve disciples went out among the people and collected twelves basketfuls of leftovers. I imagine each of them going a different way with his own basket collecting hunks of fish and bits of bread. Each fills his basket to the point of overfilling. Surely they must be asking "Where in the world did all this come from? The kids' lunch wouldn't even cover the bottom of my basket!"
God sated the spiritual hunger of the people with authoritative teaching. God sated the physical hunger of the people with food shared with blessing and breaking and giving (sound familiar?). We gather in worship to be fed spiritually with scripture and graciously with bread and wine that is God's body and blood. God is still in the business of meeting our needs. And there is always more left over for others.
God, help us bear food--spiritual and physical--out to a hungry, hungry world. Amen.
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