The Prospect of Love Cheers Me Up

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Proper 15, the week of the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

5When 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?’ 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ 10Jesus 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. . . . 11Then 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.

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 981)

AM Psalm 119:145-176; PM Psalm 128, 129, 130

Judges 18:16-31; Acts 8:14-25; John 6:1-15

David's Reflections

Mary Karr, a contemporary American poet, memoir writer, and English professor at Syracuse University became a Christian as an adult and joined the Roman Catholic Church.  You may know her memoirs, The Liar’s Club, Lit, and Cherry.  She wrote a poem reflecting, in part, on the miracle of the feeding reported in today’s Gospel.

    As to whether he multiplied

    loaves and fishes, that's common enough.

    Poke seed-corn in a hole and see if more corn

    doesn't grow. Two fish in a pond

    make more fishes. The altar of reason

    supports such extravagance. (I don't even know

    how electricity works, but put trust

    in light switches.) And the prospect

    of love cheers me up, as gospel. *

“The prospect of love cheers me up.” Amen. The feeding seems to me to be both a reminder and a prophecy, a reminder that all food and drink come from God's hand and a prophecy that we are living toward a future of incredible material and spiritual abundance in the fulfilled reign of God. The God of creation intends that none hunger; like Jesus, we are to care for those struggling for daily bread by seeing to it that they receive it.

Other than Jesus' resurrection, the feeding is the only miracle story related by all four Gospels.  In fact, Matthew and Mark contain two versions of the miracle with slight differences.  That means that the feeding miracle gets reported six times in the Gospels.  Obviously, the early storytellers who preserved these stories about Jesus and the Gospel writers who crafted them into narrative accounts saw Jesus uniquely revealed in this miracle.

In Holy Eucharist each Sunday, we give thanks for God's abundance in creation, and we share in the fruits of that abundance in bread and wine.  And, in that feeding, Jesus literally multiplies himself to feed all communicants around the world, to give them himself.  In that sense the feeding miracle was a prophecy of what was to be.  Jesus would nurture all believers throughout time. "The prospect of love cheers me up."

Today, I give thanks for the feeding miracle as a reminder, a reminder that on a larger scale and in a longer time frame, God grows all bread and all foods and that we eat those foods from God's own hand. God intends that none go hungry; God’s abundant creation can sustain all. I also give thanks for this miracle as prophecy, a prophecy that Jesus would be the living bread that feeds my soul and the souls of all believers.  And, I give thanks for the recurring spiritual hungers that keep me returning to the only true bread.

This miracle gives us the best commentary I know on the prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread,” God’s intention for each of us. And, Karr’s poem captures the daily miracle of divine abundance that Jesus’ miracle demonstrates so vividly. She writes “the altar of reason supports such extravagance.”

 John’s version of this story has two unique details that underlines God’s superabundant love overflowing in this miracle.. First, Jesus  fed them “as much as they wanted.” Second, they gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers. “The prospect of love cheers me up.”

* Mary Karr, from "The Grand Miracle," from Viper Rum. (New Directions: 1998}

Collect of the Day, Proper 15, the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  (BCP, 233)

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)

For Our Enemies

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 816)

In the Order of Worship for Evening

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen.  (BCP, 113)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)

Daily Office Gospel, John 6:1-15

6:1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When 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?’ 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ 10Jesus 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. 11Then 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. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When 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.’

15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer