July 31, 2011
There was some sports commercial in the early eighties where they would show a controversial play in the NFL and then they would say, “You make the call,” and cut to commercial. After the commercial, they would come back and tell you the right call. Does anyone remember that? Today (even more than usual) we are doing a feature I am calling, “You help write the sermon.” Thus, the index cards I asked you to write on and that I have right here. We will get to those shortly.
So. This morning we hear in the gospel a story that is probably familiar to many of us, maybe even all of us. Jesus feeds thousands. (Five thousand men, we are told, plus women and children - so technically that adds up to more than five thousand, even though it’s called ‘the feeding of the five thousand). And the kicker is, Jesus does this with only a few loaves of bread and some fish.
This particular story, where Jesus feeds thousands, is found in all four of the gospels. In fact, it’s the only miracle story found in all four gospels. There are a lot of miracle stories – Jesus walking on water, calming the storm, restoring sight to a blind man, healing a foreign woman’s daughter, the raising of Lazarus, turning water into wine – the list goes on. But of all them, this is the only one found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. So what does that say to us?
It says to me that there is something particularly important, particularly significant, about this story. The basic outline is this: there was a great crowd of people there, wanting to see and listen to Jesus. The disciples wanted Jesus to send them away, so the people could get food and, presumably, so that the disciples could be alone with Jesus and have some time apart from the crowds. But Jesus doesn’t go for this. Instead, he tells the disciples, ‘you give them something to eat.’
So put yourself in the place of one of the disciples for a moment: there’s a big crowd, there’s been a lot going on, you really want some peace and quiet and to have your teacher to yourself for just a few hours for pete’s sake. And then you figure, great. It’s dinnertime. They’ll go away, and we can have some quiet time with Jesus. . . except that he’s just told you that you and your bedraggled group friends that you should feed the hordes of hungry people. And there he is, looking at you expectantly. What is your response? So Jesus, you’re kidding, right? Which is kind of what the disciples say. It’s pretty clear that they think Jesus is, let’s say, out to lunch. Yeah, how are we supposed to do that? All we have is a little bit of bread and a few fish. It might have fed, say, the thirteen of us. . . but you’re smoking something if you think it’s going to feed everyone. I’m pretty sure this response of the disciples is in a commentary somewhere!
But what we can’t forget is that this is Jesus. He expects the disciples to rise to the occasion – and he will even help them get to where they need to go. You’ve got a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish? I can work with that. So he takes the bread, blesses, breaks it, shares it. Sound familiar? He gives this blessed and broken food to the disciples. The disciples give the food to the crowd. And somehow, it has become more – and there are even baskets of food left over.
So. What is it that is so significant about this story? Why would every gospel writer make sure it’s in his gospel? Maybe because Jesus feeds people; literally and figuratively. That’s what he does. Maybe because he will bless, break, and share bread again, at the end, and call that bread his body. And maybe because this story, more than any other miracle story, embodies who Jesus is.
There’s an interesting thing about how this story in Matthew begins. Did you notice it? “Now when Jesus had heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” Heard what? What did Jesus hear? Does anyone know? He just heard about the death of John the Baptist. You know, the one who prepared the way for Jesus’ arrival. Herod has had John, who had been in prison, executed - and this news has just now reached Jesus. So what do think Jesus is looking for here? Probably some peace. Some quiet. Some time to grieve this terrible thing that had happened. Some time and space to figure out what it meant. Some time and space to pray, be with God.
But in the end, of course, Jesus gets none of this. He tried. He withdrew in a boat, found a deserted place . . . but the crowds followed him. They wanted to be around him. They wanted to hear his teaching; they wanted to be in his presence. And after all, he is Jesus. He doesn’t tell the people to go away. No, instead he welcomes them. He cures the sick. He feeds them. In short, he has compassion for them.
Compassion. That is what I think is central to this story, and central to who Jesus is. Remember I invited us to reflect on why this story is in all four gospels, alone among all miracles of Jesus. Remember that I suggested that this story is in a very real way an embodiment of who Jesus is. In other words, this story embodies Jesus’ compassion.
So. I asked you a question and asked you to write your thoughts on those index cards. The question was, what does compassion look like? I’m going to read some of the answers that you wrote (the ‘you make the call/you write the sermon’) part of the morning. And as I read what you wrote, I invite to you think about two things. One, how does what you are hearing interface with what you know of Jesus? And two, how does what you are hearing interface with you, and who you are?
What do you say compassion looks like? “Caring, love, forgiveness, giving on one’s self.” “A hand reaching out to help or comfort.” “When you feel the spirit of Jesus flowing through you giving love that alone you could not offer.” “Love and acceptance when it is not required but is most needed.” “Humility, kindness, understanding.” “Being able to put one’s self second to fully be with another.” “Listening, not judging.” “Consoling another person.”
What does compassion look like? It has many faces. And as Jesus embodies compassion, embodies God’s compassion, it also seems as if what compassion looks like depends on what the needs are in front of us, in front of Jesus. So sometimes, compassion takes the face of healing. Sometimes, compassion takes the face of a kind word or a kind act. Sometimes, compassion takes the face of comfort. And sometimes, compassion takes the face of bread and fish. Or ramen noodles, peanut butter, masa, cereal, beans, all of the things we donate to Martha’s Closet. Or for that matter, bread and wine, blessed, broken, and shared.
Why is this story in all four of the gospels? Because it reflects clearly who Jesus is. Because it models for us who we are called to be as followers of Jesus. Because it shows us what compassion looks like, and challenges us also to live as Jesus’ compassion in the world.
Amen.