You Feed Them

Scriptural Basis

Matthew 14:13-21 (NRSV)

Now when Jesus heard (that John the Baptist had been killed), 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. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 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."  Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." 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. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Blog Reflection

The current economy is having a terrible toll on the rise of poverty.   More and more children are going to bed hungry in America. Families are finding it more difficult to pay for rent, medical care and food.  The gap between the richest people in America and the poorest continues to get even wider. 

People are not just hungry to feed their bodies.  People are hungry for hope.  People want more than just eat and be satisfied. People need to know love in their hearts and that God is never far from them.

It must have been difficult for Jesus to hear about the death of John the Baptist.  Jesus was trying very hard to get away and spend some time in solitude. As soon as people heard that Jesus was near by, everyone went to seek him out.  The people were hungry to be close to God. Close to God is exactly where Jesus was trying to go. 

In Jesus' wisdom, he reveals God to those who came to experience God's healing and transforming power.  But, there is something more that they need.  The people need to be fed. Jesus challenges the disciples to feed them, not send them away.  When the followers of Jesus brought to him all they had, the Goodness of God was shared with everyone who came to partake of all that God had. The hungry were fed.

Jesus whom Christians believe is God's perfect revelation of Self, showed God's love to be unconditional and all inclusive.  There was no one there who was not invited to share in the hospitality of God's generous grace.  People seeking just a glimpse of God's Goodness so that they may know that there is hope in an oppressive and painful world, found what they were looking for.

Episcopalians believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in Holy Communion.  When we gather to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord, we are fed with the Goodness of God that the five thousand experienced.  Everyone is invited to sup and receive the merciful and healing Presence of God.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people come seeking meaning and hope in their lives.  LGBTQ people experience a Church and society that is rejecting us on the basis of our sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.  We come with the same hungry hearts.  We come because we know that God has created us as we are, and God wants to commune with us so that we may know God's love.  We come with our spouses, relationships, wounds from discrimination and violence.  We come to find God's transforming power to heal us from Biblical literalists and over reaching Church authoritarians. 

What a joy it is that The Episcopal Church has been opening it's doors and altars so that LGBTQ people can approach and receive the Presence of God in Holy Communion.

In addition, The Episcopal Church has recognized that LGBTQ people are among those living out the meaning of our Baptism to be a vital part of the Body of Christ.  To deny access to the Church and the Sacraments to LGBTQ people, is to fail to live up to the meaning of our Baptismal Covenant.

Jesus continues to call the Church through the Holy Spirit to become a more inclusive community so that every person can find room in God's family.   

As we seek God's will in our lives, we come to Jesus and ask: "What would you have us do?"   Jesus replies: "You feed them."


Prayers

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 26, Book of Common Prayer, page 235).

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.  (Prayer for Social Justice, book of Common Prayer, page 823).