For Sunday
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Collect
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.
Reading
From John 6:1-21
“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.”
Reflection
Even as we read this amazing story of feeding thousands of people from just a couple handfuls of stuff, the themes we’ve been exploring this summer keep roaring back.
- Jesus displays amazing power
- Crowds physically threaten him for their gain
- Jesus and the disciples need regular time off
This story, which I prefer to call the Feeding of the Multitudes, really does have it all. And yet we tend to center everything on Jesus. Which is definitely understandable.
However, this isn’t just a story of Jesus making a miracle. It is actually a story of community, seeking, and discipleship.
First: Jesus doesn’t feed the multitudes. His people do. They find the food, prepare the people, distribute the food, and collect the leftovers.
Meanwhile, the crowds are hungry for a king. They want to use their authority to make Jesus carry it all for them. They, just like us, want this to be about Jesus.
Of course Jesus can’t carry it all. So why do we assume he can? Why would we assume anyone can? He needs to get away. Vacation. Rest. And not just once. Again and again. For health and for learning.
There is so much here. But listen to how it all comes together in this one story. Feeding, sharing, and gathering from sympathy. Our work with Jesus. Work that isn’t for one, but the many. This is our power: together.
Oh, and don’t forget, we need regular time off.