Our Part in the Feeding of the Multitudes

The challenge of the story as we receive it is that we think its all about Jesus and His magic hands. The Eucharistic metaphor gets us thinking that for sure. But the story isn’t about reversing scarcity, but finding abundance in deserted places.

a Homily for Proper 13 A

Text: Matthew 14:13-21

Independence

Our story begins with pain and grief. After teaching the crowds in many parables, Jesus returns to His hometown and faces rejection. Shortly after, Jesus receives word that John the Baptist has been killed as a present for the king’s niece and a trophy to show her mother. John was healed by Jesus; he was arrested for receiving life from Jesus.

One can only imagine how heavy that news would be. An anchor, believing that He was, in some way, responsible.

The last time they spoke to one another, John was doubting that Jesus was the messiah. He summoned Jesus to level with him. Their last moment together was not love and affection, but cold skepticism.

Jesus is clearly heartbroken. He tries to get away to be alone, in silence and solitude. Again He goes by boat. And again He is followed by the crowd. He can’t get away. So He comes back, despite His own emotional state, he feels for them. He heals the sick.

The disciples notice the time and they look around. There are so many people. All day they’ve been out here. If these crowds aren’t hungry, they will be soon. How could they feed all these people? It’s not possible.

Their solution is to send them out to find food for themselves. Too many logistics to consider. Coordinating times and places and food bills and collecting orders and allergy information. Send them into town to fend for themselves. Its prudent and logical. Responsible. Let them be independent.

Hunger

At about 4:30 every afternoon, Rose and I have the same conversation:

What’s for dinner?

The factors are often the same for us. We want to feed the kids when they are hungry. We have some things ready, but the meat is still in the freezer. Should I pick something up?

Our kids don’t tell us that it is dinner time. We decide that it will be soon. Like the disciples, we…actually I (its mostly me) want to have the food ready before they tell us they’re hungry. Before the problem I see ahead becomes the problem we don’t know how to deal with.

Jesus or the crowd don’t direct the disciples to think about hunger. The disciples see a problem of scarcity. Their solution is to find the food. In this deserted place, there couldn’t be food. Send them away. Direct them to the city. There must be food there. Let them take care of themselves because we can’t possibly help them. Surely we don’t have enough.

Like child refugees who have crossed the desert fleeing murderous evil, our neighbors scream There isn’t enough here. Go away.

Or those refugees on the other side of the world, counting women and children fleeing rockets; judged by their skin color. There isn’t enough here. We can’t trust you.

And our own fears of running out, of not having the resources for St. Paul’s to thrive in this community. That we lack time, talent, and treasure. There isn’t enough here! You fix it. That the solution is out there, rather than right here.

Feeding

Jesus takes their suggestion and tells them

“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

The disciples want to be responsible, but fear distracts them and threatens to break the community. Jesus reminds them that they need to be responsible. You feed them. Don’t send them away.

They need to be here. Like Mary at the foot of Jesus, this crowd is together, it is here, and they can feed them. Five loaves, like the five books of the Torah. Two fishes, like the Law and the Prophets. 5, 2…7, all holy numbers. The food they find is not scarce, but abundant. Like manna in the field, it is a gift from GOD. It will certainly be enough.

GOD provides and the disciples find. They give it to the crowds and clean up. All are fed. The men, women, and children.

The pain of loss and the fear of scarcity are transformed by the abundance and generosity of GOD. First in compassion and healing, then in service and eating.

Abundance

The challenge of the story as we receive it is that we think its all about Jesus and His magic hands. The Eucharistic metaphor gets us thinking that for sure. But the story isn’t about reversing scarcity, but finding abundance in deserted places.

The hunger in our bellies makes us believe this is a story about a miracle and that we get to be the crowd: recipients of the miracle. But Jesus makes it about the disciples, that they are to feed those they have declared are hungry.They see the need and are told to address it. They have eyes to see and hands to heal.

Throughout Scripture we are told by Jesus to feed people. Today we will feed friends and neighbors hot dogs and watermelon, raising funds for the Ecumenical Food Pantry. Feeding others that we might feed more. With talented musicians, planners, preparers, advertisers, grillers, and leaders, we will celebrate with music and praise GOD’s great abundance.

Let us give thanks and bless GOD for these good works, this good place, and this good creation. For we are called to do good things with who and what we have today. For we have GOD’s abundance. May we have the disciples’ trust to share it.

 

Further Reading

For more on this, I strongly suggest you check out two other sermons. One by David Henson and another by C Eric Funston. They are both brilliant.