Don t you just love it when the gospel writer says, besides. women and children? (Mt.14:13). The story of the feeding of

Transcription

1 Don t you just love it when the gospel writer says, besides women and children? (Mt.14:13). The story of the feeding of the five thousand is so popular that it appears in all of the gospels. Some of them even have a parallel version of feeding four thousand. Whether it was four thousand, or five thousand, including women and children, doesn t really matter. I think there s more to this story. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus has just heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, (Mt.14:13-21). He has good reason to be scared. He tries to remove himself to a secluded place. He even gets in a boat. But when the people come after him, he has compassion for them and he comes ashore. In our second reading today, from the book of Genesis, Jacob is also running away (Gen. 32:22-31). He also has a good reason to be scared. He is on his way to meet Esau, the brother he betrayed so many years ago. He also crosses the water and seeks solitude. But just when he thinks he s alone, a man 1

2 appears and they have a wrestling match. Often people refer to this man as an angel, and he does act as a messenger from God, which is the definition of an angel. He renames Jacob as Israel, meaning he has striven with God. I like the idea that God wants to wrestle with us. Many times in our lives we wish that we could bring God down a notch or two. When we re grieving, experiencing a loss, or facing death, it s not uncommon to want to make God face us, and give answers to the questions we demand. I wish it was that easy. On those rare occasions when we do feel we ve had an intimate encounter with God, we are changed. Jacob is left with physical evidence of this encounter, as he goes limping back to his people. The crowds surrounding Jesus also were seeking physical evidence of the power of Jesus, through healing and being fed. This story reminds us that Jesus was not just concerned with their spiritual welfare, but their bodily needs as well. 2

3 When we think we are alone, or wrestling with forces more powerful than us, we are actually closer to God than we think. It s in those times of struggle that God meets us. Jesus was moved by compassion. Jacob was seeking forgiveness. Both of these stories are about peace and reconciliation. Where can we see the need for peace and reconciliation in our world today? Certainly in the larger picture, the world is more in need of peace than ever before. Most of us are not in a position to do much about national or international issues. We can vote, we can write letters, but it sometimes feels like we are just a grain of sand. All the same, many grains of sand can make a mountain. I think it s more important what we do in our daily lives that matters. Are we sustainers or are we consumers? Here s an example. When we have our time of fellowship after the service we use Styrofoam cups. These are not recyclable. They are convenient to use and are disposable, but what does this do to our environment? Would it cost that much to use 3

4 wash-able cups, or recyclable paper? Would we make a commitment as a church to help with washing the dishes before we run off to do whatever we re doing on a Sunday afternoon? I read an article the other day about recycling textiles. About 85% of textiles are not reused and end up in landfills. There are many ways to address this. The first is an easy one, to donate used clothing and textiles to a thrift store for resale. The second one may be more challenging for some of us, which is to shop there as well. Second hand clothing is also more affordable, and supports the work of different charities. The most important way we can achieve a world of peace and reconciliation is to take care of ourselves. Our bodies and minds are a renewable resource. Every one of us is precious. What would the world look like if everyone thought of each person this way? Not all of us are capable of such wide-ranging inclusive thinking. There are some exceptional people who have the ability to think globally such as Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, and Jean Vanier who started the L Arche communities for 4

5 people with disabilities. Also there was Mother Theresa, now Saint Theresa of Calcutta to many. Most of us will be called to smaller ministries, but they are just as important. We need donations to our Benevolent Fund to be able to meet local needs. We need volunteers to teach cooking, tutor young people, and give rides to the elderly. Yesterday we were blessed with having eight people show up to help with deconstructing the stage in the gym. Mostly, we just need to be kinder to each other. Call someone you haven t seen in a while, or better yet, offer to visit. Make a meal for someone, or make preserves for a community food program. Start a knitting project now for the homeless next winter. I have a list of items that are needed by the Mental Health Program of our local hospital, such as individual-sized shampoo or soap. These are free in most hotels and are thrown away even if they ve not been used. It s the little things that count because they can add up to a bigger something. Every grain of sand has the potential to 5

6 become part of a mountain. That bigger something might be an awareness that other people didn t have before. I know the power of reaching out to people even one at a time. I ve seen it in the faces of people in hospital rooms and nursing homes. Just being there for people matters. All God needs is for us to show up and be willing. I think these stories remind us that we also need to take care of ourselves. Many people are on holiday right now and others including myself, are about to. It s good that we can take the time to recharge our batteries, and come back healthier and wellrested. For Jesus and Jacob, these life-altering events did not mean the end of their journeys. Jesus didn t say, well I m done now. He went on to perform miracles, teach and heal. Jacob did cross the river and face his brother. The work will still be there for us to do. The good news is that this is a blessing. It may be challenging, and we may have to wrestle with it a bit. Or we might have to share the little bit we 6

7 have to make a feast for everyone. Whatever our path, we are not alone. God travels with us. Thanks be to God. Amen. 7