Sermon for July 29, 2018
Proper 12B – RLC – Track 1
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.
Today we start a five-week exploration of the sixth chapter of
John. We have five weeks to talk about
bread! Five weeks of bread! What are the people to do when they are
confronted with five weeks of sermons on bread?
What is the poor preacher to do to come up with five sermons on bread?
We have two choices – We can relish in the stories on bread – the feeding of
the five thousand and the discourses on Jesus as the bread of life – or – we
can avoid them and dread another five weeks of bread sermons.
The Gospel of John is a favorite book of the bible for me. Probably because John’s Christology is so
high – what I mean by that is in the Book of John there is no doubt that Jesus
is the messiah. There is no doubt that
Jesus is of and is God. You just have to
look at the way John starts the Gospel.
There is no birth narrative like in Luke. There is no genealogy tracing Jesus lineage
to the great King David, who we read today was not always so great, as we have
in Matthew. Mark just dives in with a
quote from Isaiah and Jesus being Baptized.
But in John we have the genealogy tracing Jesus back to the beginning of
creation – to the very spirit hovering over the waters at creation. In the beginning was the Word and the word
was God and Jesus is the Word.
The Gospel of John tries to make sure that we have no doubt about
who Jesus is. When Jesus performs a sign
or miracle in the Gospel of John we will hear Jesus telling the disciples about
that sign or miracle. Telling us what it
means so that we don’t misinterpret the Godliness of the action.
Today lays the foundation for the rest of the chapter – for the
rest of this month of bread stories.
Today we have the sign. The
feeding of the 5000 in a lovely grassy area.
Jesus the Good Shepherd feeding his flock in a good pasture.
Several years ago, when I went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
one of the places we visited was a sight that tradition says is where this
miracle happened. A wide grassy slope
leading down to the waters at the Sea of Galilee. It may or may not really be the place. Hard to know for sure. But tradition going back to around the year
400 or earlier say it’s the spot. And
for at least 1500 years pilgrims have gathered at that spot to remember the
miracle. They have gathered to pray and
to offer Eucharist.
It is a Holy site. It is a
thin place where I felt my breath being caught in my chest as I felt the
presence of God in that place. It is a
place that fed me spiritually in ways that I did not expect. Something that happened many times on that
trip. Places where the power of prayer
for centuries have left a residual that can be caught. Places where God is still feeding us.
Before we get into the symbolism of the feeding of the 5000 today
is a time to revel in the feeding itself.
To revel in God taking compassion on God’s beloved children and filling
their bellies with fish and bread.
Our Presiding Bishop – Michael Curry recorded a short YouTube
video on how a preacher might approach this series of bread stories.[1] In it he said that “How is it that God is
trying to feed the world, not on fast food, but on gourmet [food] that gives
life?" In it he talked about
communities – like the one that is just outside our doors – that are food
deserts – places that lack reasonably priced nutritious food. Places where fast food and junk food are
easier to come by than an apple!
We can also live in a God-food dessert. It is so easy these days to get distracted by
stories of natural disasters - fires and floods. Stories of killings, and wars. And lest I leave out a biggie we can be
distracted by the latest political hyperbole that we get from both ends of our
political spectrum.
It is so easy to not see God.
It is too easy for us to not hear God trying to break into our lives
with all the distractions. It is
hard. In our Gospel story we have an
example of the disciples seeing the hardness instead of the grace. When Jesus asks them how they are to feed the
5000 they respond that even with six months of wages there would only be enough
food for each person to get a small morsel.
They are overwhelmed by the enormity of the task at hand. When Jesus asks how much food was present it
turns out that a small boy has five barley loaves – good strong hardy peasant
bread and two fish. It seems that only a
small boy has been smart enough to grab some food for the journey. An impossibly small amount of food.
Jesus then uses that impossibly small amount of food to provide
for all the people – with leftovers!
When we see the problems of the world – the lack of food in our
neighborhoods. The lack of housing for
those who are on the streets. We all too
often see the hardness of the problem.
We see the overwhelming-ness of the problem.
On Wednesdays – after the noon Eucharist we feed all who walk
into St. Paul’s – and this past Wednesday it was 24 for the service and over 30
for the meal. A meal that is served to
our guests. A continuation of that great
meal of bread and wine that we have in the Eucharist. The instigator of that meal is now in her
late 90’s. Many weeks she personally
cooks enough food to feel everyone who comes to eat.
Recently this parishioner, who sits quietly to the side while
people eat, told me that when she feed the people she frequently thinks of
feeding Jesus. She sits there and
watches the hungry, many of whom are homeless, being fed and what does she see? She sees Jesus sitting in the room. And on those days where the helpers look out
and see too many people for the amount of food than has been prepared we still
end up with enough for everyone to get a meal.
And Jesus is fed.
The same thing happens here in this place. I see it all the time. I hear about it all the time. With River City Food bank there is nutritious
food provided to a community that is hungry.
I see people being fed spiritually.
The miracle of the five barley loaves and two fishes keeps happening
over and over again – if we but open our eyes to see it. If we but open our hearts to God trying to
feed all of his beloved creation.
In his YouTube video Michael Curry asked how is God trying to
feed us? I know one way is by letting me
serve God’s people. By letting me see
Jesus in a room where other people may only see the homeless and the
hungry. I am fed when I walk the dog and
end up seeing a pair of juvenile Coopers Hawks calling to each other as I walk
down H street.
This week I invite you to try and find a little time to ponder
the question that Michael Curry asked.
How is God trying to feed you?
Can you find a way to open your whole being to God’s desire to feed
you? Break away from whatever impairs
your ability to see God at work in you.
Even if for a minute. If even for
a second. Because even in the blink of
an eye God will offer you a spiritual banquette that is abundant. Let us spend this week reveling in God’s
feeding of his people. Next week we will
start to hear Jesus explaining the meaning of the miracle. This week let us just revel in the food.
Amen.
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