You Give Them Something to Eat

Scriptural Basis


Mark 6: 30- 46 (NRSV)

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. 

Blog Reflection


Although today is the commemoration of the Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and I have great appreciation for this day, I feel that there are things happening in our country and world that need more attention.  

I can easily include that among the great things that Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary did was to feed and nurture their daughter so that she might play an important role in God's work of changing the framework of the world's attitude.  The attitude I speak of is that of one person or group of people dominating another that is supposed to be submissive.  


All of this is true.


The Gospel that was to be part of today's Daily Office takes the event of the parents of Mary, but is an event that we are all invited to participate in.


"You give them something to eat." Said Jesus to the disciples.


Jesus did not say, "Alright take them somewhere else.  Make sure they get their food.  Pass on this responsibility to someone else."


Jesus said: "You give them something to eat."


Jesus never said: "Give them something to eat, but first find out if anyone in the crowd is lesbian, gay, bisexual and/and or transgender.  And if you do find that out, don't feed them."  


Jesus also did not say: "Be sure you don't give anything to a woman who has had an abortion, or supported the ordination of women."


Jesus also did not say: "Be sure everyone you give something to, is a Christian, a white person, a fundamentalist, employed, totally healthy, wealthy, speaks and writes in English, etc, etc, etc."


No!  Jesus did not say any of that.


Jesus said: "You give them something to eat."


So it is also inconsistent with our commemoration to assume that Mary was born and nurtured by parents who would have insisted that she only be a submissive slave to some God who must condone a male dominated society where not only women, but the sick, the prostitutes and the illegal immigrant were to be ignored.


God feeds all of God's creation with the goodness that comes from God.  All that God has created and blessed was created good.  


Yes, we all know the story from Genesis of how the earth and humankind were created good, but fell victim to sin.  

Too bad Christianists insist on looking at the sins of people who have the least to worry about, rather than taking care of their own.   Attitudes of dominionism, supercessionism, heterosexism, racism, and sexism and supporting the violence in Norway is hardly evidence of having dealt with sin.  It is in fact, a cooperation with sin, with attitudes and rhetoric like that.


Jesus in this Gospel is not concerned with anything, but feeding those who are hungry.  Jesus wants the disciples to feed the hungry people with the bread of compassion, hospitality and reconciliation.  Such are traits Jesus would have learned from his mother Mary, who would have learned them from her parents.  Here Jesus is calling on his followers to do what Jesus would do. You know the old saying "What would Jesus do?"  Jesus would say: "You give them something to eat."


As good Episcopalians we believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist.  We also believe that it is most important that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist become real in us as the Body of Christ.


As we hear the news that the United States will default if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2nd, and that such a disaster would affect the most vulnerable such as senior citizens, the unemployed, low income and disabled people the most.  How do we respond as the Body of Christ?


Do we respond by saying "Let others write our legislators and the President to do something now, for the benefit of all?"


When we hear that budget negotiations are at a place where they would suggest cuts to programs like education, higher education, health care, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.  How does the Body of Christ respond?


"Let it happen. Who cares anymore?"

How do Christians who are the Body of Christ follow Jesus' request "You give them something to eat" with Christianist organizations vowing to stop marriage equality in New York, or rolling back the Fair Education Act in California?

How do Christians respond to the violence in Norway that is being blamed on Muslim extremists, when it was done by a "Christian Terrorist".  Why aren't Christians protesting those two words being used in the same sentence?  Same-sex love and marriage is about love and service.  "Christian Terrorist" gives Jesus Christ a bad name, that somehow God condones religious based violence.


Do Christians respond with: "Well, maybe it is God's will that it happen that way?"


All Jesus said today is: "You give them something to eat."  Something that will nourish them with God's goodness and caring concern.  Not destruction and prejudice, justified as religious conviction.


Here Jesus raised by Mary, who was raised by her parents, tells us "Give them something to eat."


It is up to us to speak up on behalf of those marginalized by the Church and society.  It is our duty to feed those who are hungry for justice, equality and inclusion.  It is our business to respond to people losing their health care, or retirement through Social Security with the utmost concern for their welfare as well as our own.


When Jesus says "You give them something to eat" how is the Body of Christ answering Christ's request?



Prayers

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 12, Book of Common Prayer, page 231).

Almighty God, heavenly Father, we remember in thanksgiving this day the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and we pray that we all may be made one in the heavenly family of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 487).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, page 823).