After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
John 6
Without a doubt, this is a difficult time for my country. Anxiety surrounds me on a daily basis. Every non-profit that I deal with is working on an even shorter shoestring than they have in the past. Most organizations are cutting back on staff and expenses and the hope for the future is looking dim for many.
For over a decade the country as a whole lived beyond its means and consumed mmore than it saved. I have been witness to friends and family members buying more house than they needed with more credit than they should have gotten. Now, with the economy tightening up, they have no idea how they will make mortgage payments.
I know folks who have never been without a job finding themselves unemployed. I know others who have never thought twice about eating out, going on a vacation, or buying a new car considering their options and staying at home more often.
Most of the churches I know anything about have been reeling with the economy. They too are cutting budgets, staff, and services in the midst of the economy.
Today’s Gospel during Morning Prayer was John 6–the feeding of the multitudes. You might say that it is one of the anti-scarcity thinking passages from the scripture.
“How are we going to buy bread for all of these people?” Jesus asked the disciples.
“Six months wages aren’t enough to buy just a little bit for all of them,” said Phillip.
“There’s a boy with five loaves and two fish, but what is that going to do for so many?” spoke Andrew.
You know the rest of the story. Jesus blesses the food, and five thousand folks eat all they want and there were leftovers. A miracle story. You can make some not so unreasonable assumptions as to how this happened, after all we are not much into miracles in the 21st century; but, in the end, the story defies what we would consider normal, rational.
I am convinced that in our day of need, it is a good story to hear. When things look bad and there is need all around, it is time to remember that we are dealing with a God who finds a way to provide. From one end of the Bible to the other, it is a story of God leading God’s people through difficult and trying times. Manna in the wilderness, water from a rock, deliverance from a tyrant, and throughout the centuries God always provides enough.
I am convinced we live in a world where there is enough for everyone’s needs, but we have not yet figured out there is not enough for each of us to get everything we want.
Cases in point: There are people going hungry and without shelter in New York City while bank executives there are getting seven figure bonuses for losing billions of dollars. Hundreds of thousands go hungry in nations where their leaders are filling off-shore bank accounts with cash. Many people across the world live on less than $2 dollars per day while countries spend millions of dollars on just one implement of war.
May we all discover that there is enough to go around, with some leftover.