For Sunday, August
2, 2020, Readings: TRACK II* Isaiah 55:1-5, Psalm 145:
8-9, 15-22; Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:13-21
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor
for that which does not satisfy?...Incline your ear, and come to me, listen, so
that you might live… [Isaiah 55:2a, 3a]'
The Lord is gracious and
full of compassion, slow to anger and of great kindness…The Lord is near…to all
who call upon him faithfully…he hears their cry and helps them. [Psalm 145:8, 19, 20b]
I am speaking the truth in Christ – I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. [Romans 9:1-2]
I am speaking the truth in Christ – I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. [Romans 9:1-2]
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and all the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled... [Matthew 14:19b-20a]
I was struck immediately by the two verses
from Isaiah that I’ve quoted above, beginning with Why do you... Followed
on by the reminder in the Psalm that the Lord is gracious and full of
compassion... Then Paul astounds us by saying he'd give up his own
salvation if he could only bring his Jewish brethren to understand that they
and Christ are of the same flesh, that is the ancient Israelites, now the
Jewish people, to whom the law was given are also one in Christ. Jesus, after
all, was incarnated in Jewish flesh! Paul’s impassioned pronouncement comes
just after last week's assurance that nothing can separate us from the
love of God in Christ Jesus. He is, as Paul always is, completely
dedicated and unalterably determined to bring the Jewish people to Jesus even
at the cost of his own soul (reminiscent of Moses in Exodus 32:32). He loves
his fellow Jews and wants them to remember God's unfailing faithfulness over
multiple generations that Christ continues. Through their faith, Paul is
saying, the Gentiles (now us) can also feel safe and cherished by God in Christ
who will not fail us, whose promises will not be broken.
And while it seems a bit of a stretch to bring these readings together with the
iconic miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, there is plenty of food
for thought when these are all taken together. While there are billions of
words distilling the literal from the symbolic feeding of the five
thousand (oh, and let us not forget besides women and children),
something significant happened that day. It was well beyond a nice story about
a few bits of bread and fish passed around, or a full picnic for sustenance.
One commentator described it as an extravagant, bountiful feast of
God...the overflowing generosity of grace...in a gift...as improbable as it was
unexpected. A reminder that even in hopeless situations, the
inadequate can become more than enough and it is in faith then that feeds and
nourishes our hope. Hope strengthens our will to live into each day.
God through Isaiah asks what we are doing
with our resources and time, and tells us to incline our ears to listen that
[we] may live. The Psalmist echoes that God's presence and love are
available always to those who call for help faithfully. Paul's unceasing
anguish is palpable as we can relate in our own times in sorrow and
wonder at some of the actions and inactions of our fellow humans towards one
another. And Jesus feeds us all if we are merely present to him in faith, in hope,
through love, and by example.
There is much to ponder and the God questions
I began with are still with us, each and all – Why do you spend your money for that which is not
bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”
Here’s another perspective: There was a lovely amusing series of cartoons
for church bulletins called Pontius’ Puddle. In one of them one
character says, Sometimes I’d like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine,
and injustice when he could do something about them. His companion asks, What’s
stopping you? The answer comes back,
I’m afraid God might ask me the same question. How will I/we answer?
To reiterate from last
week If God is with us, who can be against us?
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Gracious and Compassionate Lord, by the Spirit who knows our
anguished hearts, we are drawn to Your loving kindness that lifts us when we
are bowed down, and satisfies our deepest need.
Holy
and Loving God
RESPONSE: We
put our faith in You
~
Gracious and Compassionate Lord, urge
the ears, the wills, and the morals of the power brokers of this World, this
Country, and this Community, to incline to Your purpose and Your righteousness
in all their ways for all Your people. We pray especially for:
Holy
and Loving God
We
put our faith in You
~
Gracious and Compassionate Lord, hear
their cry and fulfill the hopes of all who suffer from chronic illness, injury,
or anxiety, and uphold the energy of their caregivers. We now join our
hearts together to pray for those in need…
Holy
and Loving God
We
put our faith in You
~
Gracious and Compassionate Lord, our
grieving hearts are soothed by knowing that You receive with joy and open arms,
those now newly arrived in glory. We pray especially for…
Holy
and Loving God
We
put our faith in You
~
Gracious and Compassionate Lord,
we pause in this moment to offer You
our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials…
Holy
and Loving God
We
put our faith in You
~
Gracious and Compassionate Lord,
we ask Your special blessings upon those who are chosen to feed our souls
through Your Word and Sacraments. Sustain them with Your loving embrace and
support, as they lead us ever closer to You. We pray especially
for: add your own petitions
Holy
and Loving God
We
put our faith in You
~
The Celebrant adds: God, Steadfast and Righteous, as we come faithfully seeking
our spiritual sustenance, we are fed and nourished by the Words and Sacrifice
of Christ, our Messiah. Grant us wisdom, courage, and fortitude to carry You
with us to feed the souls of all we meet. We ask for these blessings through
Jesus, Bread of Life; the Holy Spirit, Breath of Souls; who together with You,
Creator of All, are the One God, forever and ever. Amen.
*We will return to Track I
for Pentecost 10
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