From the Common Lectionary. 8th Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity 7) 3rd August, 2014 (Proper 13) THEME: You Give them Something to Eat SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1. Isaiah 55:1-5 2. Romans 9:1-5 3. Mathew 14:13-21 PSALTER: Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 REFLECTIONS When we read the story of the feeding of the five thousand, we tend to focus our attention on the question, Did it really happen? There have been a number of attempts to explain the miracle. One attempt says that the people were so moved by Jesus generosity and the generosity of the little boy that they brought forth the food they had hidden under their clothes and in their traveling pouches. This way everyone was satisfied. Another theory says that the story is not really talking about physical hunger but spiritual hunger. When the small amount of food was passed around everyone tore off a minuscule symbolic fragment. In this Jesus is said to have satisfied the thirst of the soul not the stomach. Its more popular to operate in the black-and-white world of facts…and, of course, to leave no space for the miraculous. How can we live positively in this world where much is discouraging? I think I see some clues in the miracle story of Jesus feeding 10,000 people with only five loaves of barley bread and two little fish. The disciples saw the negatives but Jesus understood the positive presence of a little food. In this our Gospel story from scripture for today, the young man didnt have much. But what he did have, he offered to Christ. And thousands of hungry people were fed. Jesus is still in His miracle working business and is just waiting on us to surrender what we have and the miracle will go on. Stay Blessed!
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:29:10 +0000