Sisters and brother in Christ there are 3 points I’d like to make today, in light of this Gospel text:
And keep in mind what has happened here and what will happen. So much violence and chaos in the story so far and to come -- Herod’s evil rule, Roman empire has asserted its dominance. And we know that the empire will catch up to Jesus in the end of the book, but here we’re getting glimpses God’s realm -- God’s will and rule on earth as in heaven. These stories are glimpses of the narrow pathway of Jesus, to which we are invited to enter and follow.
1. Disciples wanted to disseminate the crowds, break them up, dismiss them. But Jesus held them together.
Disciples wanted to keep it simple and neat, but how “keeping it simple and neat” can breakdown community and attempt to edge out God’s compassion.
This is a text about God’s compassion, God’s justice…where ALL are fed. All are clothed, all are housed, all are safe.
What does that mean for us and our world? What would San Diego look like if everyone had “daily bread”? And Luther describes daily bread in his small catechism as “Everything included in the necessities and nourishment for our bodies, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, farm, fields, livestock, money, property, an upright spouse, upright children, upright members of the household, upright and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, decency, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.”
Jesus filled everyone’s bellies and prevented the disciples’ solution of breaking this problem of hunger down by simply dismissing the crowds. Out of sight, out of mind. Jesus says to us too: “You give them something to eat.”
How might we as church work together toward ensuring everyone gets enough nourishment for their bodies, clothing, shoes, money, property, healthy families, good government, peace, decency, good friends, faithful neighbors and the like?
The world is not ours to save. That’s true. But it’s ours to serve. “You give them something to eat,” Jesus says to us. Jesus holds us together.
2. The disciples didn’t think there was enough. But Jesus turned that which was offered into more than enough.
Five loaves and two fish, was hardly anything at first.
Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus takes our “hardly anything” and works it for good. We offer everything we have, and we offer it with thanks to God and let God take it from there.
This is not just a text about sharing. I mean, there’s a great lesson here, if everyone shares what they have, it’s amazing how much food is left over. We have that experience every time we have a potluck here at church. There’s always a concern that we won’t have enough. And there’s always leftovers when everyone brings a little something. (Come to our Lenten suppers to see this again.)
Wonderful image, but this story is more than just an instruction to share, it’s God taking what we might deem as worthless, or too small or insignificant, and working wonders with it. How has God used you, what you bring? And by the way, the little boy was offering up everything he had -- even if it didn’t seem like much. I don’t think he was packing more loaves and fishes in his cloak (do you?) and just sharing his leftovers. He offered his all. “Here’s all I’ve got, God. Use me.”
Loaves and fishes stories are happening all around us, all the time! We might not always acknowledge them as such, but they’re there! I’m thinking about all the connections that we make. Introductions, of people, that turn into great friendships or partnerships. That’s how Agape house got started, T.A.C.O., Common Ground, Survivors of Torture International -- each of these organizations (think of the piles of “daily bread” they’ve provided over the years) -- began with some introductions. “Well here, I know this person, let me introduce you to that person.” God taking our “hardly anything” and turning it into a feast of good things for the good of so many.
3. With the abundance, Jesus feeds us too!
ALL ARE FED means you and me – we don’t just empty our pockets, empty our lives, and go home hungry and bitter. In this amazing story, messy-spirit-filled-children-screaming-old-people-dancing-everyone-singing-everyone fed -- community-in-Christ is the result! Amen? ALL ARE FED, you and me included!
The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus even feeds the disciples. Jesus forms us all into one body, through shared food and shared space. The disciples don’t think there’s enough, but Jesus makes sure everyone is feed, including them, including us!
We are fed this day—tired, depressed, lost, confused, lonely, wrapped up in conflict, stressed about money, grieving our losses, losing our hope—Jesus doesn’t send us away empty.
He sends us away fed and with leftovers!
Filled to the brim with grace and forgiveness. Hope and joy that we can’t help but share. Filled to brim with a new vision for living this life together, and a counter-vision for acting and speaking in an isolated and violent, violent world -- violence that has already come, violence that will come again. Jesus’ followers: we stand for peace nevertheless. We embrace the suffering, the hungry ones, the sick ones, the ones with out shoes, and the ones with troubled families, the ones who suffer from bad government, and poor leading, the ones whose neighbors are unfaithful -- those in our own communities and around the world, we feed them, because of the feast that Christ has laid before us. We are filled to the brim with God’s compassion this day. God’s life in Jesus Christ -- moving among us through the Holy Spirit -- in this bread and wine. God is with us, renewing us, filling us. Sustaining us, rescuing us from drowning. God is with you. And this strong Word will carry us through, for this day, it is enough for this day and forevermore...for we feast on the Bread of Life. AMEN.
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