Today's Readings
2 Kings 4:42-44 (NRSV)
A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, "Give it to the people and let them eat." But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" So he repeated, "Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the LORD, `They shall eat and have some left.'" He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.
Psalm 145:10-19 (BCP., p.802)
Ephesians 3:14-21 (NRSV)
I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
John 6:1-21 (NRSV)
Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
Blog Reflection
We all know the feeling. Did we do enough with what little we had? I wish I could have given and/or done more.
This Sunday, we begin our months long reading of John 6. This chapter from John's Gospel focuses on Jesus as the bread of life. Jesus came to feed us with the Goodness of God; in the Holy Eucharist and through our participation in Jesus' life in feeding others in His Name. John 6 is a basis for The Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and the Incarnation of Christ present through His flesh and blood.
In this first installment of John 6, Jesus wants to feed all of the people with only what they have. He is not interest in what they do not have because of wages or material goods. Jesus only wants to take care of those who are hungering for the Goodness of God through Christ. Of all the stories that are found in the three synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the feeding of the five thousand is also found in John. The common story is told as symbolic of how much God cares about those who hunger; physically, socially and spiritually.
Hunger is a major problem in our world. Here in America, in Europe and all over the world, the poor who are hungry and go without every day is unimaginable. The numbers of how many people including children who live in poverty rises every year. Yet, those in power here in the U.S. continue to decrease spending for food stamp programs and school lunch programs that serves so many people.
If it is not physical hunger, there are those who continue to suffer under the "hunger" of prejudice, oppression and injustice. A few weeks ago on the 4th of July Weekend, Fr. Ed Bacon who is the Rector at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California spoke regarding the current debate over the removal of confederate flags form public buildings. Fr. Bacon said it well, when he said the problem is not the confederate flag itself, it is our "confederate consciousness". The racism that is so out of control over these past years, is the result of two approaches to hunger. One is a hunger that is interested in power to control minorities, including immigrants. The other is the hunger of those who are looking for peace from being violently profiled because of their race and/or nation of origin.
The milestones we have achieved towards equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Church and society is about addressing a hunger. The hunger to love and be loved by someone so special that our gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression of individuals who wish for their dignity to be upheld is being addressed. None of them are the least bit interested in violating anyone's religious freedom. In fact, all LGBT people want is to be able to exercise their own civil and religious freedom without the fear harassment or being proselytized.
The shootings in Charleston, South Carolina, Chattanooga, Tennessee and as of yesterday, Louisiana is a hunger to stop the out of control gun violence without politics or billion dollar lobbying firms more concerned about their positions being our main obstacle. We are not interested in interfering with anyone's 2nd amendment rights. We just want the opportunity to let our children go to school, people go to movie theaters and walk in public places without the fear that someone will kill them or someone they love just because the shooter has a point to prove.
Jesus Christ comes to us as He did the hungry people in our Gospel story. He comes to feed us and nurture us towards a greater love for God, our neighbor and ourselves. All Jesus wants from us, is to offer our gifts however great or small to play a part to relieve the hunger that permeates all of us in one way or another.
Are we ready to offer what we have? If there is any doubt in our minds, let us remember the words from St. Paul in our reading from Ephesians.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 231).
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 260).
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 826).
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