We believe in God
Who has created us and sustains us
Who has come in Jesus
To reconcile and make new
Who works in us by the Spirit
So that we should be the church on earth.
Song ”I heard the voice of Jesus say”
https://youtu.be/74kyfROS4q8?feature=shared
God of love and forgiveness
Save us by your tenderness
From each deed that is destructive
From careless thinking
From words that hurt
Save us by your love and forgiveness.
Reading John 6v1-14
Reflection
Each cycle of ministry in the gospel stories ends in a story about feeding the crowds in the wilderness. The economics of sharing.
Jesus has been in Jerusalem causing a riot by healing a blind man. He returns to Tiberias and crosses the Sea but is followed. He goes up into the mountain to pray. There was no time to eat as people were coming and going. The crowds are pressing in on the disciples. And even the wilderness is full of their need. Jesus cares about the fact they are hungry. Jesus asks Philip what they are going to do about feeding the disciples and Philip thinks he is expecting them to pay for their food.
A boy offers all he has five loaves and two fishes. Jesus invokes them to share what they have. He organises the crowd into groups and gives a blessing and shares the loaves and fishes. It multiplies as it is shared so that there is also a lot left over. The crowd want to crown him as king so he escapes again to the mountains. What happened was the food really multiplied or did people add what they had as it came round so that it seemed as if it had multiplied?
There are many Old Testament stories evoked here, the manna in the desert being one. There were at that time political leaders surrounded by crowds who also met in deserts. Jesus was not a political leader but was the shepherd people needed.
Prayers for our world, our nations, our communities, our friends, our families and ourselves.
Song ” Take my love”
https://youtu.be/ACoe1lpwT5s?feature=shared
We are called to be the church
To celebrate God's presence
To love and serve others
To seek justice and resist the destructive
To live the life of Christ
By the presence of God's Spirit within us. Amen.
