The Introduction
Jesus never met a crowd he couldn’t satisfy. If they were ignorant, he taught them. If they were sinners, he forgave them. If they brought their sick, he healed them. If they were hungry, he fed them. No one who yearned and brought their yearning to him was unanswered, not even the women and their children.
But Jesus didn’t come to found a school, hospital, counselling practice, or bakery. He comes to bring abundant life to people who’ve gotten used to the half-life of a world in which evil has free rein. The hungry child can only experience God through bread. Jesus brings life to the world to match its need. Neither the finality of death nor the harshness of life can overcome the gift he offers. That’s why the miracle of feeding a crowd of five thousand, as grand as it is, is dwarfed by the generations of people who’ve been fed by Jesus since.
What form would Jesus take, in order to come into your life and fill your need today?
Help someone to experience the abundant life of Christ. Tutor someone who wants to learn. Comfort someone in sickness or distress. Forgive a person who’s wronged you. Feed the hungry. Clothe the poor.
‘There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper’.
The Scripture – Matthew 14: 18 – 21
Jesus continued, ‘Bring them here’. Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the people. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.
The Story – Share the Food
I don’t know how she did it. My mum did all the cooking. Her mother, Nona, never cooked. Her younger sister, Zia Maria, showed up just in time to put on an apron attempting to steal some of the compliments. Everyone knew better. With a family of only sons, mum could rely on precious little help from us other than setting the table and staying out of her way. And all this before the invention of microwave ovens, non-stick frypans, and big freezers. Eight courses or more from kitchen to table – all her doing. Hours later with the meal over, Mum and the other women did the dishes while the men talked and we kids played in the yard or up in our bedrooms. When time came for folks to leave, each was given a bag carefully filled amazingly with leftovers from each of the courses, enough for a number of meals over the coming days. And there would still be enough in our fridge to get us through the rest of the week as well, which was a good thing because Mum was exhausted to the bone.
The years passed. Nona died, then my father and aunt. My brothers married. At some point my sisters-in-law would help mum by bringing some of the courses. She didn’t mind, even when the meals switched to their homes. Mum was happy the tradition would continue. Jesus fed the multitude leaving 12 baskets left over (one for each of the apostles to share), teaching them to continue what he had begun. No one should go hungry.
Let us continue the sharing today.
The Commissioning
We are hungry, and you fill us with the bread of life.
We are thirsty, and your Word will fill our spiritual thirst.
We are lonely, and your community will welcome us.
We are downtrodden, and we will know support.
We are apathetic, and we will find direction and energy.
We are lacking determination, and we will feel our confidence surging back.
You have been with us during this time of prayer, loving God,
and in the Spirit we go thankfully and joyfully on our way. Amen.
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