Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 13
Year A
August 3, 2008
Isaiah 55:1-5 Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Romans 9:1-5 St. Matthew 14:13-21
I think most of the times I have preached on this particular text, I have tended to focus on the miracle of the feeding of the people. It is a powerful moment in the life of Jesus. The combination of lessons today almost cry out to talk about the multiplication of the loaves of bread and the fish.
But this miraculous story starts out with Jesus seeking a little alone time. Some time away from the pressure and the crowds to recharge his batteries as it were. That is all that Jesus was asking for. He has been surrounded by people wanting his attention, seeking his healing touch, wanting to be near him. And after a while all he wanted to do was find a deserted place to be alone. I’m sure many of us have felt this way from time to time in our busy lives.
And so Jesus tries to get away. But Jesus has quite a persistent following. I have never lived the life of a rock star or famous person, but I would imagine this is sort of what Jesus’ life must have been like. Jesus probably rarely had a moment of peace and quiet. People were probably popping up all the time.
I think too often we see Jesus too much as the son of God and not nearly often enough as the son of man, a person who could get dirty and tired, just like you and me. I would imagine that Jesus is completely drained.
And yet, when Jesus sees the crowd following him around the author of the Gospel According to Matthew tells us is that “he had compassion for them.”
Now I see what it is that so often separates me from Jesus! Jesus was always concerned about others, and I am usually far too concerned about myself. Had I been in Jesus sandals at that moment in time, I imagine that I would have kept on working to duck away from the crowds and to get a little “me” time. But not Jesus. He saw them and had compassion for them. Jesus placed his own tiredness to the side to minister to these people.
Jesus had compassion because he saw people who were starving, starving spiritually and not knowing how to satisfy their hunger. And so Jesus placed his own tiredness, his own needs, aside to minister once again to the people around him. Jesus offered to satisfy their spiritual hunger.
The words from the Prophet Isaiah today are words of this same kind of satisfaction. God invites everyone who thirsts to come to the waters. God invites those who have no money to come and buy and eat. There is no price on the gift Good offers each and every one of us and there is no amount of money that can purchase it. God’s abundance is sufficient for everyone’s needs, as Jesus so clearly demonstrated.
God offers a caring and personal relationship. And that is what Jesus offered the people who were chasing after him.
I think it would be a mistake, however, to only spiritualize this passage and try in some way to bury the physical miracle that also took place. I believe Jesus offered two miracles on this day. The spiritual miracle of tending to people and relationships and the physical miracle of feeding the hungry crowds.
Time flies when you are healing people and before you know it Jesus' ever practical disciples are tugging at his cloak whispering for him to send them away so they can go get dinner. And Jesus, that crazy guy, says you feed them. I can just imagine the disciples looking at one another and each of them thinking the exact same thing. Jesus is crazy. Does he think we carry a kitchen around with us? Does he think we have a pantry nearby?
I know for myself I tend to be a pretty practical guy, just like I see the disciples at this moment. But I think this Gospel lesson warns me not to be too practical. Not to count too much on what I think I can do. The lesson for all of us is that we need to count on Jesus. We need to be open to God doing amazing things that perhaps our wildest imaginations cannot even dream up. Our practicality can be limited on what God can do for and through us.
You see Jesus calls the ever practical disciples to do the impossible. Jesus is trying to teach them that very important lesson that with God, nothing is impossible. This is the one miracle recorded by all four Gospel writers, so this feeding had a significant impact on those who witnessed and participated in it.
There is always the possibility that this miracle of Jesus reminded everyone of the wanderings of
Jesus provided bread, fish, and wine to people. And Jesus also offered living water. The lessons today remind us that Jesus provides for us as well.
What is your hunger today? What do you think God may be calling you to do today? Whatever that is, no matter how large a challenge it may seem and no matter how lacking your resources may seem to be, God will be with you. God will provide that which you lack.
The Gospel lesson today calls us to great acts of faith and trust in our Christian walk and witness. Are you willing to follow Jesus in this call?
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