4th Trinity III 2022, Tree of Life

 4th Trinity III

Luke 9:1-17 

He called the twelve together and gave them potent authority and formative power to 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, nor 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 has 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. 

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 needed it. 

Woloschina

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." However, he 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. 

4^th August Trinity

August 14, 2022

Luke 9:1–17 

Here in this gospel, the spirit, the life of God, begins to live and breathe within the human community. First, an in-breath — “He called the twelve together and gave them potent authority and formative power.” He breathes into the community of the twelve his powers of life, the power to order and to heal. 

And then he breathes the twelve themselves out into the world to bring his powers of life to others. He warns them first not to crowd out his spirit with stuff, to satisfy a need for sticks, bags, bread, and money. And so, free and unencumbered, they go forth, breathing out his healing and joyful spirit into the world.               

Then they return for another round of inbreathing, of inspiration. And Christ gathers them together again to deepen the working of his spirit into their community. Now they are not only able to order and heal. Now they are to join themselves together with his power to nourish, feed and sustain. “From now on,” he says, it falls to you to give them to eat.” 

For a moment, they are confused—food is surely something tangible, countable. And what they have isn’t enough. 

artist unknown

But he shows them that true nourishment and sustenance come from both a higher and yet a deeper level. They come from a level where living forces multiply themselves before they divide. 

Christ demonstrates the laws of how

this mysterious process works. He breathes out his own spirit up to the Father of all Life in a great outpouring of gratitude. In so doing, he makes his own spirit into the trunk of the great Tree of Life itself. His gratitude brings nourishment to this tree, a tree that is ever fruitful, ever-bearing. The fruits of this tree nourish by bestowing life itself in abundance. The community, united in thanks with Christ, is allowed to harvest and eat of the fruits of the tree of life. 

Together they give thanks. And together they eat and are satisfied. For with Christ, they had breathed themselves into the realm of multiplication — the realm where there is more than enough. Enough for all time, and for everywhere.