2nd Passiontide 2010, Bread of Stars

2^nd Passiontide

John 6: 1-25

Woloschina

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.”

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.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off over the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "I AM, have no fear" Now when they wanted to take him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land, at the place where they wanted to go.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, the truth I say to you: You are seeking me not because you saw signs of spiritual power, but because you ate of the bread and were satisfied.

2^nd Passiontide

March 14, 2010

John 6:1 -25

Some movies are made that require you to put on special glasses. Then what you would ordinarily see flat, out there, pops you into another dimension that surrounds you.

Vanaesch

In today’s reading, Christ gives his followers the means to see him in another dimension. In feeding the five thousand, He gives them bread and fish imbued with the teeming invisible life of the twelve stars of heaven. This nourishment becomes a lens.

That night in the boat the disciples enter another dimension. They see Him as the Son of Man, walking on the surging realm of the sea of life that surrounds them. They are agitated and fearful. But He assures them that He is no mere apparition. He is reality—I AM. He becomes the stabilizing centering force that they take into their ship.

When we come to the altar, Christ gives us, too, the bread of the stars. It is the bread of life, the reality of Himself. In us it gradually forms itself into an instrument. It becomes the lens by which we can begin to see Him, and orient ourselves toward His reality. For this bread is not ordinary food; it is the nourishment for our life in the imperishable, welling life of the starry sea. It is the spirit bread of Christ Himself. Taking Him into the  little ship of  our lives, He becomes our calming, centering force. He is the steadying but motive power that we can trust on life’s stormy seas.

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