Chrissie Prichard, member
Matthew 14: 13-21
When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds learned this, they followed him on foot from the cities. When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick. That evening his disciples came and said to him, “This is an isolated place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here except five loaves of bread and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to me.” He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves apart and gave them to his disciples. Then the disciples gave them to the crowds. Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers. About five thousand men plus women and children had eaten.

 

Reflection:

Do you know anyone that goes from “I’m a bit hungry” to “hangry” remarkably quick? Well, admittedly, I’m one of those people. I often carry snacks with me to avoid being hangry for the sake of those around me. Maybe this is why of all the miracles Jesus performed during his time on earth, feeding the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread has always stood out to me as the most relatable and memorable. You might say it’s my favorite miracle! I love that when the disciples suggested sending the crowds away Jesus didn’t give some spiritual platitude; “being in my presence is more important than physical nourishment.” Of course it is, but Jesus was fully human, so he understood there were hungry people in that crowd like me. He knew that for many of us, it can be difficult to focus on our relationship with Jesus (or anything else) when we’re hungry! He also knew that sharing food is one way of sharing God’s love. Thank you, Jesus!

 

Now despite my unfortunate propensity to become “hangry” when I am late for even one meal, I don’t know what it’s like to be truly hungry. Growing up my parents didn’t have much, but we never worried about where our next meal would come from, and as an adult, I have been blessed with a job that provides for me and my family. Yet there are so many members of our community that are not as fortunate. The good news is that our God is still performing miracles by providing meals to those in need! It might not look the same or be as dramatic as dividing two fish and five loaves of bread, but it is us living and loving like Jesus in responding to those in need. When Kids’ Meals of Houston delivers a healthy lunch for each of the seven children of a single mother who lost her job due to the COVID-19 crisis, it is a miracle. Or when a father is able to go to the CCSC food pantry on our Gethsemane campus and collect enough food to feed his family for the week. There is a miracle in that. Jesus called us to live and love like he did- feeding the hungry with what we have been given. 

 

One way we can model our life after Jesus’s is to share God’s love with others through sharing food. Jesus’s life on earth is almost like a YouTube video showing us how to live our life. In this passage Christ shows us a “how to” on feeding the folks in front of us. Maybe we can bake a cake for a friend, volunteer at a food pantry, donate to CCSC or Kids’ Meals, and pray specifically for those in our community struggling with food insecurity. We can keep up what Jesus started when he divided those loaves of bread and fish!

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for the example of Jesus. Thank you for the miracles he performed and for his personal, human understanding of how to share love with others. I thank you for the food and nourishment you have provided me today, and I pray for those who are in need. I pray that I might continue what Jesus started by sharing your love with them. Amen.