Thursday, April 3, 2014

2nd Passiontide 2009, Meadows of Heaven

2nd Passiontide 
Speyerer
John 6: 1-25

After this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee near Tiberius and a great crowd of people followed him because they had seen the signs of the spirit, which he had performed on those who were ill.

Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

When Jesus raised his eyes to the world of the spirit, and beheld how crowds of people were coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that all these people may eat?”

He asked this to test his understanding and presence of mind, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “200 denarii [seven months wages] would not buy enough bread for them each to have only a little.”

Kenneth Dowdy
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up: “A boy is here with five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are these among so many?”

Jesus said, “Let the people sit down in groups.” There was plenty of green grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave to those who were seated, likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Now when they were satisfied, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost.” So, they gathered them, and they filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. Seeing the sign that he had done, the people said, “Truly, this is the prophet who is to come into the world.”

When Jesus became aware that they intended to come and make him king by force, he withdrew again to the mountain alone by himself.

Woloschina
2nd Passiontide
March 22, 2009
John 6: 1 – 15

These difficult economic times are creating an odd opportunity: instead of eating out, many are finding it necessary to cook at home. The opportunity in this is the possibility of infusing the food we create with the love that we feel for ourselves and our families. And it is this element of love that is the true nourishment for body and soul.

In today’s gospel reading Christ pointedly asks, ‘Where shall we buy bread that all these people may eat?’ And Philip answers that seven months’ wages would not be enough. I think Christ was trying to point to the inadequacy of trying to nourish human bodies and souls with money alone.

To thrive, we need so much more. We need the ordering element of sitting down in groups together. We desperately need the soul mood of gratitude for that which we do have, however little it may seem. And we need to contribute to the atmosphere of generosity, of magnanimous giving, as much as people want, as much as God wants.
In the Gospel, the people are seated on a grassy meadow. It is evening. The stars come out. Longfellow said,

Alex Ruiz
Silent, one by one,
in the infinite meadows of heavens,
blossomed the lovely stars,
the forget-me-nots of angels.[1]

And Emerson said: “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.” [2]

Night sky as meadow and city. The twelve basketsful gathered in the gospel were the leftover abundance of the star bread from the city of the Father.

With gathering, with gratitude and with greatness of heart, we can access what truly nourishes us: the life-giving love from the stars. For God’s nature and the nature of His Son is overflowing abundance itself. But we must first take our place in the greater, healthy order of things. We must open our hearts in gratitude and generosity, toward God, toward our fellow human beings, and toward the kingdoms below us.






[1] Longfellow: Evangeline

[2] Emerson, Nature, Chapter 1.

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