Sunday, August 16, 2015

4th August Trinity 2015, Sharp, Strong and Balanced


4th Trinity August
Luke 9: 1-17

He called the twelve together and gave to them potent authority and formative power, so that they could work against all demonic mischief, and heal all sickness.  And he sent them out to heal and to proclaim the Kingdom of God, appearing now on earth, the kingdom of human beings filled with God’s spirit.

And he said to them, “Take nothing with you on the way: no staff for support, no bag for collecting, neither bread nor money, no change of clothes. If you enter a house, remain there until you go further. And where they do not accept you, leave their city and shake the dust from your feet as a sign that they have refused community with you.”

They left and walked through the villages of the country, announcing the joyful message of the new working of the kingdom of the angels and healing everywhere.

Meanwhile Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was happening and he was very perplexed, for some said, “John is risen from the dead,” and others said that Elijah had appeared, and yet others, “One of the Prophets of old has risen again.” And Herod said, “John I have had beheaded; who now is this, about whom I hear all these things?” And he wished to see him himself.

Feeding 5000, Woloschina
And the apostles returned and reported to Jesus everything that they had accomplished. So he gathered them to himself and retreated with them to a city called Bethsaida for special instruction. But the people became aware of it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them of the Kingdom of God of the future, of the human kingdom on earth filled with the divine spirit, and he healed all who had need of it.

But the day began to decline. The twelve came up to him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can reach the villages and farms in the vicinity and find food and lodging, for here we are in a deserted place.” He however said to them, “From now on it falls to you; you give them to eat.”

They answered, “We have nothing but five loaves and two fish. Or shall we go and buy food for all of them?“ There were about five thousand people.

Then he said to the disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of fifty”. And they did so, and all reclined.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his soul to the spirit, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. And they ate, and all were satisfied. And they took up the pieces that remained: twelve baskets full.

4th Trinity August
August 16, 2015
Luke 9: 1-17

If I have the right tool, I can do amazing things. With a well-balanced mallet and a strong, sharp chisel I can sculpt wood or even stone. But if the mallet is off-balance, if the chisel is weak or dull, even the most talented of artists cannot use them.

We are to become the instruments Christ uses to help build His kingdom of heaven on earth. He needs us to be sharp, strong and balanced. Then His formative power can stream through us. But as tools we may not yet be in the best shape for His work. He therefore works on the tools themselves, to sharpen and balance us.

The story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand prefigures our own age. The people are strengthened with the bread and the fish, which contain the formative forces of the stars. In the Act of Consecration we similarly take in bread and wine to sharpen our thinking and strengthen our will. We take them in so that we become balanced tools in Christ’s hands. We take them in so that He can work on building the kingdom of heaven on earth, with us, through us.