Sunday Trinity 9

Opening Verse of Scripture  Psalm 145:3

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

Collect Prayer for the Day—Before we read we pray

Almighty God, who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church: open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Gracious Father, revive your Church in our day, and make her holy, strong and faithful, for your glory’s sake in Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Bible Reading Isaiah 55:1-5

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

Second Reading  Romans Chapter 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ – I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Gospel Reading Matthew 14: 13-21

When Jesus heard that Herod had beheaded John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children

Post Communion Prayer

Holy Father, who gathered us here around the table of your Son to share this meal with the whole household of God: in that new world where you reveal the fullness of your peace, gather people of every race and language to share in the eternal banquet of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary

The reading today begins with the phrase, ‘when Jesus head what had happened.’ This is the context for the passage, and it casts a shadow over events. Herod had thrown a feast, it was a truly dreadful meal, for the only thing mentioned as being on a platter was the head of John the Baptist. We do not know who attended, but we can be certain it was the privileged few, the rich and the famous. Consider then this meal of the narrow invitation list, the presence of the powerful and the overwhelming mood of hate and bitterness, eventually bringing an outcome of the death of a righteous man. Then reflect upon the contrasting meal of Jesus which now occurs in the passage today. Unlike Herod, Jesus opens up the invitation list to all. We are told that the meal is held not in a palace but in a ‘remote place.’ The guests of Jesus do not incline on couches, Jesus invites them to sit on the grass. Now which meal would you have wanted to attend? The feast of Herod surrounded by hatred, or the feast of Jesus filled with compassion? The feast of Jesus is not a sumptuous feast, but "all ate and were filled."

Let’s look deeper at this feeding of the 5,000, we know it is important because every Gospel writers tells us about Jesus performing a miraculous feeding. There is a feeding of the Five Thousand in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:12-17 and John 6:1-14. There some variations in details in the accounts, for example in John we read that the food used belonged to a boy. Then there is the Feeding of the Four Thousand in Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-10. There are also separate accounts in Matthew and Mark of another feeding miracle. It seems reasonable to assume that there must have been more than one miracle if the same person recorded it twice. Remember though that numbers are not important, indeed in our story we can see that the 5,000 referred only to the men, so there might have been over 10,000 fed!

It is important to note the feeling which Jesus had for the crowd, it was one of compassion. Everybody would have heard of the death of John the Baptist at that dreadful feast. Jesus and those around him were upset and understandably Jesus in his grief takes time to go to a solitary place to be alone in his grief and the sense of loss following the death of his cousin. Yet when he sees the need of others around he offers his help freely. He thinks of others before himself. Perhaps there is a lesson for how we should expect to respond to adversity ourselves. We too are most blessed when we care for others, perhaps even especially when we place our own woes to one side and concentrate on how we can give rather than receive.

If we were to put ourselves into the position of the crowd themselves, then they would very much have appreciated this compassion. They had lost a leader and they would have felt bereaved, afraid and lacking in hope for the future. We feel the same from time to time, perhaps we are fearful of the future, or grieving over lost opportunities. It may be that we wonder how we can cope with the relationships we have with our families or others, our job, or indeed the Christian witness to which we feel called. Perhaps we are frightened by the challenge of life which God has laid before us? We should do well to remember that this is a feeling which the disciples shared- many times, and Jesus looks with compassion.

Jesus clearly wants to feed the crowd and cares for their physical needs. However a call upon the available resources reveals only five loaves and two fish. Clearly there would need to be much more to feed those present. The action of Jesus is to bless the resources which are brought to him and then to send them out. This is an interesting visual demonstration of how Jesus uses his disciples. We bring our meagre resources and we offer them to him, he blesses what we have. However inadequate for the task he then sends us out to do his work. When we offer our meagre resources to God and he blesses them, we can know that God will change the value of them and increase their worth. It doesn't matter how small or insignificant we think our gift is, when Jesus blesses what we offer it becomes a powerful tool in his hands.

The result is miraculous. Now in spite of the old commentaries which suggested that this was a miracle of sharing, or a holy communion in which they were spiritually not physically fed, we cannot escape the fact that the story is presented as a miracle of growth. We know this because we are told clearly that there were twelve baskets left over. We should remember that twelve was an important number. The gospel writer would have wanted to make the point that there were enough baskets to have one for each disciple, one for each tribe of Israel.

The message is clear that when we trust in the mercy of God there is enough and more to go around, there are indeed leftovers. The abundance of God’s mercy does not disappoint, he fulfils his promises. We can know that there will always be sufficient for us if we trust in God. God is generous with us. This may be a difficult message for us to grasp. Why does Jesus make more wine than they actually need and did he have to make so many jars of wine? Why did the woman have to lavish perfume on Jesus, and would half a bottle not have been sufficient? The answer is no, Jesus is generous and we are called not to be resentful of such abundance but to do the same. Charles Royden

Meditation

Today we learn about the sharing of food. In the midst of their need, Jesus leads the disciples and the people in an unexpected and wonderful sharing of abundance. In this sharing, God is encountered. “Eucharist” is experienced. This spirit of abundance and sharing is a challenge to the greed, selfishness and profit seeking which dominate parts of our culture. The spirit behind the gospel challenges us and challenges the worst parts of our way of doing things. Food and water are more than just products to be bought and sold. The gospel is about more than just giving out food. Jesus does more than just “magically” create food. He calls a community into life. He calls the disciples into reflection and action on their situation in solidarity with everyone who is gathered. On behalf of the community, Jesus expresses gratitude and faith in God. He gets people to sit down and share. Food is passed from person to person. Everyone partakes of the abundance. Everyone has enough to eat. Instead of the hoarding of the leftovers, the people gather up what remains. Our gospel is a gospel of solidarity and empowerment. We are called to put this gospel into practice by creating a community of charity and justice for all. Every year food prices go up all over the world, especially in places where people are the poorest. Not everyone is getting enough to eat. What would Jesus do in that situation? What would Jesus call us to do in our global situation?

At a time of world food shortage, of financial turmoil, of old and new forms of poverty, of disturbing climate change, of violence and deprivation which force many to leave their homelands in search of a less precarious form of existence, of the ever-present threat of terrorism, of growing fears over the future, it is urgent to rediscover grounds for hope. Let no one draw back from this peaceful battle that has been launched by Christ's Resurrection. For as I said earlier, Christ is looking for men and women who will help him to affirm his victory using his own weapons: the weapons of justice and truth, mercy, forgiveness and love. Pope Benedict XVI said, in Urbi et Orbi , Easter 2009:

For not only bread, but all things necessary for sustenance in this life are given on loan to us with others and because of others and for others, to others through us. Meister Eckhart c.1260-c.1327

Hymns

1. Be still for the presence of the LORD
2. O happy day!
3. Tell out my soul
4. Dear Lord and father of mankind
5. Praise my soul the King of Heaven
6. Guide me, O thou great Redeemer
7. Come on and celebrate
8. O the deep, deep love of Jesus
9. I am the bread of life
10. Will you come and follow me

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

O God, you came to bring peace, to offer reconciliation, to heal the separation between people, and to show how it is possible for men and women to overcome their differences and to celebrate their unity. You revealed your God as a God of all people, a God without resentments or desires for revenge, a God who cares for each one of his children with an infinite love and mercy and who does not hesitate to invite them into his own house. But our world today does not look like a world that knows you. Our nations are torn by chaos, hatred, violence, and war. In many places, death rules.
O God, do not forget the world into which you came to save your people; do not turn your back on your children who desire to live in harmony but who are constantly entangled in fear, anger, lust, violence, greed, suspicion, jealousy, and hunger for power. Bring your peace to this world, a peace we cannot make ourselves. Awaken the consciousness of all peoples and their leaders; raise up men and women full of love and generosity who can speak and act for peace, and show us new ways in which hatred can be left behind, wounds can be healed, and unity restored.
O God, come to our assistance. O God, make haste to help us. Amen.
Adapted from "A Cry for Mercy," by Henri J.M. Nouwen

God our Father, in the name of him who gave bread to the hungry, we remember all who through our human ignorance, folly, and sin are condemned to live in want. Show us, who have so much, what we can do to help those who have so little; and bless the efforts of those who work to overcome poverty and hunger, that sufficient food may be found for all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Book of Common Order of the Church of Scotland

O Lord God, in whom we live and move and have our being, open our eyes that we may behold thy presence ever with us. Draw our hearts to thee with the power of thy love. Teach us to be anxious for nothing, and when we have done what thou givest us to do, help us, O God our Saviour, to leave the issue to thy wisdom. Take from us all doubt and mistrust. Lift our hearts up to thee in heaven, and make us to know that all things are possible to us through thy Son our Redeemer. Amen (Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott, 1825-1901)

Jesus, may all that is you flow in me. May your Body and Blood be my food and drink. May your Passion be my strength and my life. Jesus with you by my side enough has been given. May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your Cross. May I not run from the love which you offer, but hold me safe from the forces of evil. On each of my dyings shed your light and your love, and keep calling to me until that day comes when with your saints, I may praise you for ever. Amen (David Fleming, adapted from Anima Christi)

Dear Father God. Our human lives are full of change. We know that life always moves on and nothing stays the same. We find change frightening, sad or difficult. Help us to be brave. Help us to be positive and above all, help us to remember that You alone do not change and will always be with us. Amen

Gracious God, with each returning day may we face our concerns and duties with goodness and grace. Let us be cheerful in our undertakings, faithful in business and able to reach the day's end with contentment and honour; through Christ our Lord. Amen

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-94

Prayer is a great weapon, a rich treasure, a wealth that is never exhausted, an undisturbed refuge, a cause of tranquillity, the root of a multitude of blessings and their source.  St. John Chrysostom

Heavenly Father who loves us, help us to love ourselves, and to love our neighbours as much as ourselves. Amen.

Creator God, we give thanks for the work of the Hospice Movement, and we pray for those who work with the dying and the suffering. We pray that they will be given strength and courage in their work, and inspiration to go forward in Your Name. Amen

O God our dance in whom we live and move and have our being: so direct our strength and inspire our weakness that we may enter with power into the movement of your whole creation through our partner Jesus Christ. Amen

A Nurses Prayer Sometimes Lord, I find it so hard, when people think I am so good, caring and loving, because I'm a nurse, they think I can cope with anything, anybody, anywhere, anytime and that my uniform makes me different. But on the inside I'm the same, I have fears that need your love to deal with them. I see pain and death, am I not meant to feel? For that's not love. Love feels, and is alongside. If I'm not feeling how can I show I really care. Help me to show I care in all I do and say Lord, live through me, that I may show Jesus to my patients and colleagues.  Author Unknown

Additional Material

Gracious God, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of life and the word of your kingdom. Renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God you poured the Spirit of your Son into our hearts so that we call you Father. give us grace to devote our freedom to your service.

Gracious God, you call each one of us to dfferent types of ministry in your service. We pray for Rowan Williams who has been called to a most difficult ministry. We ask that you would strengthen and encourage him in the days ahead. When he reads hurtful things about himself on the radio or in the newspapers, help him to hear instead your voice. Reassure him of the knowledge of your love and commitment, that as he has been called in your service, so you will sustain and empower him with your strength. Give to him wisdom and patience, and a sense of humour. Amen.