Spiritual Growth :: Sermons

July 26, 2009
 Proper 12B RCL. (The Rev. Sabeth Fitzgibbons)

Does the feeding of the 5000 seem similar to any experience we have in our lives? It always reminds me of communion. It’s literally food for our bodies and nourishment for our souls. Everyone gets as much as they need and want, no matter who they are or what they are bringing with them that day. It’s freely shared. It’s blessed and multiplied by God’s presence

It’s a story we find in all four gospels – the only miracle that’s the same in all four It’s a story we find in our lives. People gathered over food Finding nourishment for their bodies and souls God present in the blessing of community and fellowship with others Parker Palmer, a contemporary Christian educator, describes the Feeding of 5000 story as the first recorded evidence of community organizing. Jesus actually got the people to sit down together.

Parker imagines in small circles and they begin talking to one another, waiting for Jesus to begin teaching. Meanwhile, the apostles are frantic about where they are going to find enough money to order pizza for this crowd and who will deliver all the way out here in the boonies. Jesus calmly asks them, “What do you have? Go and see.”

The apostles open their bags, pool their resources, and come up with five loaves and two fishes. At that, Palmer imagines, seeing the leadership and creativity of the apostles, the people in the crowd begin to open their own bags. And then, wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles, Jesus blesses them and they begin to share what little they have brought. Not only is there enough for everyone to eat, there are leftovers in abundance

Aren’t we in this reading of the story as well? We are in a new place in our lives together, as we anticipate the welcoming of Kate Ekrem as our priest-in-charge as we anticipate the end of one time of transition and the beginning of another transition. Like the crowd in the desert, it might feel like we’ve arrived at a destination, waiting to hear about what comes next. And realizing that we have a hunger, For worship and fellowship activities For Christian formation programs for us and for our children and youth And for sharing God’s transforming love with the world through mission activities and stewardship of our building and grounds

How are we going to feed everyone? How can we afford it?

It’s easy to feel the apostles’ anxiety about feeding all those people in the middle of nowhere. They, too, were hungry at that moment – both spiritually and physically. No one problem-solves well on an empty-stomach.

Rather than answering their question directly, Jesus asks them what they already have – Go and see. He refocuses them on what they do have – 5 loaves and 2 fishes – rather than on what they don’t have – money to buy food for everyone there. Jesus doesn’t fix things for them, rather he reminds them to look at the resources they already have and blesses it into overflowing abundance – more than enough.

Some of the apostles’ anxiety comes from their focus on just one possible solution to the problem they see – lots of hungry people. By focusing on their one solution, they have closed themselves off from the possibilities of the Holy Spirit

Where are we in this part of the story? In our desire to have certainty and some measure of control in times of transition and change, which is really all of our lives, we often have our one solution that we will consider. A certain way of approaching a problem. Working it our by ourselves instead of taking time to invite others to join in, which might mean doing things differently or taking more time. One desired outcome to attain that neglects other possible positives of the process. Possibly closing ourselves off from the Holy Spirit, And maybe even feeling physically and spiritually drained instead of renewed and energized

What might happen if we sat down in small circles and told our stories to one another. Told our hopes and dreams, and shared what we have in our travelling bags. Jesus might bless our meal to abundance. We might find that we have all that we need to live into God’s vision for us – and more

As we gather in this small circle today, to eat and drink together, to be fed physically and spiritually, we wait and dream together. Hear the words of Jesus What do you have? Go and see.