17th Sunday Ordinary Time

Image: Gathering the Fragments © Jan Richardson

July 26, 2015

From some angles, the gospel story of the feeding 

of 5,000 is far from a spectacular miracle story.

This was no matter of life and death.

If these people had not been fed, they would have survived the night, and made their way back home, chilled, weary, and hungry.

Life would go on as before.

Here we are confronted with the ordinary action of Jesus, a situation that is neither dramatic nor exciting.

In this simple tale, we hear of how Jesus cared about people and their physical needs.

His is a mission of nourishment.

But the real hero of this story is that little boy.

He, like all children in the gospels, is seen as open to the presence of Jesus.

Into Jesus' hands he entrusts his lunch.

Barley bread was the cheapest bread available and often considered only fit for animals.

And the rest of the meal?

To be edible at all after hours in the sun, the rest of the meal had to be the equivalent of pickled fish.

That is what the boy hands over.

The boy helps us to understand why Jesus sets children before us as models.

It is because they are open.

They are willing to try something new and they are trusting.

We may see boys and girls as nothing more than little bundles of energy, but we have no idea who or what they may become.

There is no way of knowing what God may do with their "five barley loaves and a couple of dried fish."

Bible scholars across the centuries have wondered about the real meaning of this reading.

One interpretation is that most of the people had brought food, but were afraid to let it be known, lest they would have to share it with the hungry crowd.

But when a little lad came forward and gave his lunch to Jesus so that it might be shared with everyone, his generosity shamed their selfishness and they began to share with one another.

Once the spirit of sharing and caring took over, it turned out there was food enough to spare.

In fact, there were twelve baskets left over.

Five barley loaves and a couple of dried fish did not seem significant when compared to the need.

But in the hands of Christ, they were more than enough.

This story tells us one thing: with God, no situation is hopeless.

That is what John was assuring the early church.

And if we will listen, he will give us the same assurance today.

The issue is not how to interpret the story, the real issue is what do we do when we get to the end of our rope?

What do we do when we have done the best we can and that is not enough?

This story answers that question.

It says, Rest easy, my friends.

You do not have to do it all.

Everything does not depend on you.

We are not suggesting that everything is going to turn out all right.

We are simply saying that God is a major player in the game of life.

We can count on God taking part.

See how Jesus got the disciples to take part:

"Make the people sit down." (John 6:10)

And later,

"Gather up the fragments left over." (John 6:12)

When our resources are not enough, God will make up the difference.

Isn't it strange for us to believe in God without expecting some marvelous results?

To say on Sunday,

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty" and then go out on Monday and not expect anything to happen?

Does that make sense?!

There is a verse in the psalms that says,

"This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."

This is how Jesus felt about life.

The feeding of the birds, the beauty of the flowers, are God's doing and they are marvelous in his eyes.

The healing of the sick was God's doing.

Jesus saw the hand of God in everything.

He looked at life through different eyes and was always finding miracles.

"Why, who makes much of miracles?

As for me, I know of nothing else, but miracles." (Walt Whitman) "Earth is crammed with heaven and every bush aflame with God, But only those who see take off their shoes, the rest stand around, and pick blackberries." (Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

In the midst of that great crowd of people, Andrew, a sensitive soul, made a loving discovery:

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves, and two fish."

You and I need to make that same discovery in our lives, in our world today.