The Open Door: 11/27/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/27/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Advent”
Today is the first Sunday of Advent: the four-week countdown to Christmas Day. The word advent means “coming” or “arrival.” During Advent we prepare to celebrate the first coming (the birth of Christ) and the second coming (the return of Christ at the end of time). However, for Reformed Christians, the “end of time” does not mean a termination. On the contrary, the “end of time” marks the fulfillment of God’s intention for creation. Let us live Advent—and every day—in such a way that we contribute to the fulfillment of God’s purposes. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre Adviento”
Hoy es el primer domingo de Adviento: la cuenta regresiva de cuatro semanas hasta el día de Navidad. La palabra adviento significa “venida” o “llegada”. Durante Adviento nos preparamos para celebrar la primera venida (el nacimiento de Cristo) y la segunda venida (el regreso de Cristo al final de los tiempos). Sin embargo, para los cristianos reformados, el “final de los tiempos” no significa una terminación. Por el contrario, indica el cumplimiento de la intención de Dios para la creación. Vivamos Adviento—y cada día—de forma tal que contribuyamos al cumplimiento de los propósitos de Dios. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
“Advent Song” / “Canción de Adviento”
Sharing the light at the Christmas' Eve Service, December 2009.
Words and Music: Mary Lu Walker, 1998
Spanish words below by Magdalena I. García.
Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRWdY1MbMMU
1
Light the Advent candle, one:
Now the waiting has begun;
we have started on our way,
time to think of Christmas day.
Refrain
Candle, candle, burning bright,
shining in the cold winter night;
Candle, candle, burning bright,
fill our hearts with Christmas light.
2 Light the Advent candle, two:
Think of humble shepherds who
filled with wonder at the sight
of the Child of Christmas night.
(Refrain)
3
Light the Advent candle, three:
Think of heavenly harmony;
angels singing “Peace on earth”
at the blessed Savior’s birth.
(Refrain)
4
Light the Advent candle, four:
Think of joy for evermore;
Christ Child in a stable born,
gift of love that Christmas morn.
(Refrain)
5
Light the Christmas candles, now:
Sing of donkey, sheep, and cow;
birthday candles for the King,
let the alleluia ring.
(Refrain)
%%%
“Canción de Adviento”
Himnario: Sing the Faith, #2090
Letra en inglés y música: Mary Lu Walker, 1998
Letra en español: Magdalena I. García.
1
Una vela enciendo hoy,
aguardando a Cristo estoy;
anhelamos su bondad,
pronto llega Navidad.
Estribillo
Brilla, brilla sin cesar,
y disipa la oscuridad.
Nunca dejes de alumbrar
a toda la humanidad.
2
Dos candelas prendo hoy
aguardando a Cristo estoy;
cual rebaño vamos, pues,
a rendirnos a su pies.
(Estribillo)
3
Tres candelas prendo hoy
aguardando a Cristo estoy;
“Paz y gozo terrenal”,
canta el coro celestial.
(Estribillo)
4
Cuatro velas prendo hoy
aguardando a Cristo estoy;
don de amor nació en Belén
para darnos todo bien.
(Estribillo)
5
Cinco velas prendo hoy
celebrando a Cristo estoy;
vamos, fieles, a cantar,
aleluyas entonar.
(Estribillo)
%%%
Monday, November 21, 2011
“On Thanksgiving”
The Open Door: 11/20/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/20/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Thanksgiving”
This week we will gather around the table with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. For many, it’s just turkey day. But for Christians, this holiday is a reminder that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too” (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, we should live with gratitude for God’s blessings—sharing our table and extending hospitality to everyone, especially those who are most deprived—every day of the year. If we live with gratitude, we are indeed living with the right attitude on Thanksgiving Day and every day. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Dar Gracias”
Esta semana nos reuniremos alrededor de la mesa con familiares y amistades para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias. Para mucha gente, es sólo el día del pavo. Pero para el pueblo cristiano este feriado es un recordatorio de que “de Jehová es la tierra y su plenitud; el mundo, y [quienes] en él habitan” (Salmo 24:1). Por lo tanto, debemos vivir con gratitud por las bendiciones de Dios—compartiendo nuestra mesa y ofreciendo hospitalidad a toda persona, especialmente la gente más desprovista—cada día del año. Si vivimos con gratitud en verdad estamos viviendo con la actitud correcta el Día de Acción de Gracias y todos los días. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/20/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Thanksgiving”
This week we will gather around the table with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. For many, it’s just turkey day. But for Christians, this holiday is a reminder that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too” (Psalm 24:1). Therefore, we should live with gratitude for God’s blessings—sharing our table and extending hospitality to everyone, especially those who are most deprived—every day of the year. If we live with gratitude, we are indeed living with the right attitude on Thanksgiving Day and every day. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Dar Gracias”
Esta semana nos reuniremos alrededor de la mesa con familiares y amistades para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias. Para mucha gente, es sólo el día del pavo. Pero para el pueblo cristiano este feriado es un recordatorio de que “de Jehová es la tierra y su plenitud; el mundo, y [quienes] en él habitan” (Salmo 24:1). Por lo tanto, debemos vivir con gratitud por las bendiciones de Dios—compartiendo nuestra mesa y ofreciendo hospitalidad a toda persona, especialmente la gente más desprovista—cada día del año. Si vivimos con gratitud en verdad estamos viviendo con la actitud correcta el Día de Acción de Gracias y todos los días. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Monday, November 14, 2011
“On Tithing”
The Open Door: 11/13/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/13/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Tithing”
Tithing, or giving ten percent of our income to the church, is a practice rooted in Scripture. But it’s important to think about why we tithe. First of all, we tithe in gratitude. We give because we are thankful for God’s blessings. Secondly, we tithe as a discipline. Tithing teaches us to give to God the first fruits, instead of leftovers. And finally, we tithe to invest in God’s work. In the words of Martin Luther, the German reformer and theologian: “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Diezmo”
Diezmar, o dar el diez por ciento de nuestros ingresos a la iglesia, es una práctica bíblica. Pero es importante considerar por qué diezmamos. En primer lugar, diezmamos en gratitud. Damos porque agradecemos las bendiciones de Dios. En segundo lugar, diezmamos como disciplina. El diezmo nos enseña a dar a Dios los primeros frutos, en vez de las sobras. Y, finalmente, diezmamos para invertir en la obra de Dios. Como dijo Martín Lutero, el reformador y teólogo alemán: “He tenido en mis manos muchas cosas, y las he perdido todas. Pero lo que he puesto en las manos de Dios, eso todavía lo poseo”. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/13/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Tithing”
Tithing, or giving ten percent of our income to the church, is a practice rooted in Scripture. But it’s important to think about why we tithe. First of all, we tithe in gratitude. We give because we are thankful for God’s blessings. Secondly, we tithe as a discipline. Tithing teaches us to give to God the first fruits, instead of leftovers. And finally, we tithe to invest in God’s work. In the words of Martin Luther, the German reformer and theologian: “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Diezmo”
Diezmar, o dar el diez por ciento de nuestros ingresos a la iglesia, es una práctica bíblica. Pero es importante considerar por qué diezmamos. En primer lugar, diezmamos en gratitud. Damos porque agradecemos las bendiciones de Dios. En segundo lugar, diezmamos como disciplina. El diezmo nos enseña a dar a Dios los primeros frutos, en vez de las sobras. Y, finalmente, diezmamos para invertir en la obra de Dios. Como dijo Martín Lutero, el reformador y teólogo alemán: “He tenido en mis manos muchas cosas, y las he perdido todas. Pero lo que he puesto en las manos de Dios, eso todavía lo poseo”. ~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Monday, November 7, 2011
“On Giving”
The Open Door: 11/6/11
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/6/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Giving”
We live in a world obsessed with a myth that has ruined many families and damaged the fabric of society: “the one who dies with the most toys wins.” We find evidence of this in the escalation of personal debt and the absence of savings, the drop in giving to charitable organizations, and the lack of public services in the richest nation in the world. And yet, the teachings of Scripture, which are quite often counter-cultural, remind us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). So the question is: which of these two saying guides your life?
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Dar”
Vivimos en un mundo obsesionado con un mito que ha arruinado a muchas familias y dañado la estructura de la sociedad: “Quien muere con el mayor número de juguetes gana”. Hallamos evidencia de esto en el aumento de deuda personal y la ausencia de ahorros, el bajón en los donativos a entidades no lucrativas, y la falta de servicios públicos en el país más rico del mundo. Sin embargo, las enseñanzas de las Escrituras, que casi siempre van en contra de la cultura, nos dicen que “hay más dicha en dar que en recibir” (Hechos 20:35). De modo que la pregunta es ésta: ¿cuál de los dos dichos guía su vida?
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Pastoral column in the Sunday annoucements at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, in Chicago.
La Puerta Abierta: 11/6/11
Columna pastoral en los anuncios dominicales de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Ravenswood, en Chicago.
From the Pastor: “On Giving”
We live in a world obsessed with a myth that has ruined many families and damaged the fabric of society: “the one who dies with the most toys wins.” We find evidence of this in the escalation of personal debt and the absence of savings, the drop in giving to charitable organizations, and the lack of public services in the richest nation in the world. And yet, the teachings of Scripture, which are quite often counter-cultural, remind us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). So the question is: which of these two saying guides your life?
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
De la Pastora: “Sobre el Dar”
Vivimos en un mundo obsesionado con un mito que ha arruinado a muchas familias y dañado la estructura de la sociedad: “Quien muere con el mayor número de juguetes gana”. Hallamos evidencia de esto en el aumento de deuda personal y la ausencia de ahorros, el bajón en los donativos a entidades no lucrativas, y la falta de servicios públicos en el país más rico del mundo. Sin embargo, las enseñanzas de las Escrituras, que casi siempre van en contra de la cultura, nos dicen que “hay más dicha en dar que en recibir” (Hechos 20:35). De modo que la pregunta es ésta: ¿cuál de los dos dichos guía su vida?
~ Rev. Magdalena I. García
Sunday, November 6, 2011
“Five Verbs”
A Reflection for Stewardship Commitment Sunday
By Rev. Magdalena I. García
Click on the link below to see a wordle created with the words from the last section of this message. To create your own wordle to go: wordle.net.
title="Wordle: Five Verbs">
alt="Wordle: Five Verbs"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">
Joshua 24:1-3, 14-15 (Common English Bible)
What God has done
1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God. 2 Then Joshua said to the entire people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates. They served other gods. Among them was Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. 3 I took Abraham your ancestor from the other side of the Euphrates. I led him around through the whole land of Canaan. I added to his descendants and gave him Isaac.
Challenge to be faithful
14 ‘So now, revere the LORD. Serve him honestly and faithfully. Put aside the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and serve the LORD. 15 But if it seems wrong in your opinion to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Choose the gods whom your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But my family and I will serve the LORD.’”
Mark 6:34-44 (Common English Bible)
Jesus feeds five thousand people
34 When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
35 Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day. 36 Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
37 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
But they said to him, “Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?”
38 He said to them, “How much bread do you have? Take a look.”
After checking, they said, “Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
39 He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass. 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate until they were full. 43 They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish. 44 About five thousand had eaten.
%%%
Note: This message was shared in a bilingual service, so I wrote it and delivered it with questions to ponder and intentional pauses that allowed me to switched into Spanish.
Organ donation is a pressing need of our time.
And I'm not talking about pipe organs!
According to organdonor.gov, a website sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
the need is real:
-112,784 people are waiting for an organ
-18 people will die each day waiting for an organ
-1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives
This is a concern shared by other countries,
and some people are responding in creative ways.
On November 3, 2011, the BBC ran a story on a new charity in the UK.
It’s called Give a Kidney, One’s Enough,
and it’s an organization that encourages live organ donations to strangers.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Would you consider being an organ donor in life? How about in death?
%%%
Giving from what we have (instead of hoarding),
even to the point of sacrificial giving,
is a theme in today’s Gospel reading.
“The Feeding of the 5,000” is the only miracle
(apart from the resurrection)
which is present in all four canonical Gospels
(Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:5-15).
This story is also known as the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.
Let’s review the story together, a few verses at a time,
and, do me a favor, listen for the verbs.
34 Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd,
he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he began to teach them many things.
It seems like a simple introduction,
but there is a lot packed into those two sentences
that distinguishes the ministry of Jesus,
and that gives us hints to guide our walk of faith:
+ He arrived at the place where the people had gathered
o Hint 1: Jesus did not live in isolation.
+ He saw their need
o Hint 2: Jesus did not ignore the needs of those around him.
+ He had compassion on them
o Hint 3: Jesus did not blame people for their needs.
+ He taught them
o Hint 4: Jesus did not give people bread alone.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Are these the attitudes and actions that guide your life?
Or that guide our life as a community of faith?
%%%
Unfortunately, Jesus’ kind and generous spirit
is not reflected in his disciples.
Unlike Jesus, the disciples always have one thing in mind:
“Me, Myself, and I.”
35 Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said,
“This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day.
36 Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
Gee...that sounds SO familiar! I wonder why?
You see, unlike Jesus, the disciples want to...
get away from the crowd,
ignore the needs of people,
care only for themselves,
and give nothing (or as little as possible).
But Jesus does not let them off the hook!
He replies by saying the unthinkable:
“YOU give them something to eat.”
Please put the emphasis on the personal pronoun “you,”
and underline it in your Bible!
However, Jesus’ words apparently continue to fall on deaf ears,
and the disciples start getting defensive
and questioning Jesus’ sanity!
Verse 37b: But they said to him, “Are you nuts?”
Trust me, that’s what they said!
All that pretty and inoffensive Bible language
needs to be translated into the vernacular!
The CEB translation says: “Should we go off and buy bread
worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?”
And when we read these words with a nice church voice we miss the point.
But what it really means is, “Are you nuts? Are you crazy?”
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
How are you responding to the call of Jesus on our life?
How are we responding as a community of faith?
%%%
By now the disciples are convinced that Jesus is either crazy or deaf.
But that is not the case at all!
Jesus is totally sane and perfectly healthy,
which is why he can see right through the disciples’
weak alibis and selfish attitudes.
Jesus knows the disciples need to be taught as much as the crowds
(and sometimes MORE THAN the crowds!)
And Jesus knows that his disciples
—the ones from the first century and the ones from the 21st century—
need to learn to live out of a mentality of abundance,
instead of a mentality of scarcity.
The disciples need to learn to share what God has generously provided.
The disciples need to remember that nothing, absolutely nothing,
is ours to have and to hoard,
because everything, absolutely everything,
has been given to us by God to administer and to share.
That’s what Christian stewardship is all about!!!
Therefore, in verse 38a, Jesus says to them,
“How much bread do you have? Take a look.”
Jesus knew they had bread.
Jesus knew that God, the giver of all good gifts,
had provided them with bread and many other blessings.
Well, what do you know?
After looking around a bit in their pockets,
in their purses, in their baskets...
surprise!...they found some bread!
And in verse 38b they answer him by saying,
“Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
And so we learn that the community did not lack resources.
The community lacked the willing to share its resources.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What resources are you unwilling to share?
What resources is this community of faith unwilling to share?
%%%
Finally, Jesus takes charge of the situation,
and he performs a Eucharist, an act of thanksgiving to God,
right there, in front of their eyes,
in the open air, on the grass,
without a sanctuary, a white tablecloth or silver ware.
Again, pay attention to the verbs:
+ He took...
o That is, he acknowledged what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He looked up to heaven and blessed...
o That is, he gave thanks for what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He broke...
o That is, he divided what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He gave to them
o That is, he shared what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
And guess what?
Everyone ate until they were full,
and there were plenty of leftovers!
When we start living out of a mentality of abundance,
when we start sharing what God has provided for us,
(instead of hoarding it and acting like it’s ours)
there is always enough for everyone,
and we even have leftovers!
But that requires a fifth verb:
the one that we find in the reading from Joshua.
QUESTION TO PONDER:
Can you guess what that verb is?
%%%
So, did you guess what the fifth verb is?
The fifth verb is choose!
Living out of a mentality of abundance is a choice.
And putting God first is a choice.
May we live in such a way that we make the right choices.
May we live in such a way that each and every day
we choose to take, thank, break and share,
so that the world might come to know God’s abundance.
%%%
Link to BBC story about organ donation: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15574025
By Rev. Magdalena I. García
Click on the link below to see a wordle created with the words from the last section of this message. To create your own wordle to go: wordle.net.
title="Wordle: Five Verbs">
alt="Wordle: Five Verbs"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">
Joshua 24:1-3, 14-15 (Common English Bible)
What God has done
1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders of Israel, its leaders, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God. 2 Then Joshua said to the entire people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates. They served other gods. Among them was Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. 3 I took Abraham your ancestor from the other side of the Euphrates. I led him around through the whole land of Canaan. I added to his descendants and gave him Isaac.
Challenge to be faithful
14 ‘So now, revere the LORD. Serve him honestly and faithfully. Put aside the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and serve the LORD. 15 But if it seems wrong in your opinion to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Choose the gods whom your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But my family and I will serve the LORD.’”
Mark 6:34-44 (Common English Bible)
Jesus feeds five thousand people
34 When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
35 Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day. 36 Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
37 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
But they said to him, “Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?”
38 He said to them, “How much bread do you have? Take a look.”
After checking, they said, “Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
39 He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass. 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate until they were full. 43 They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish. 44 About five thousand had eaten.
%%%
Note: This message was shared in a bilingual service, so I wrote it and delivered it with questions to ponder and intentional pauses that allowed me to switched into Spanish.
Organ donation is a pressing need of our time.
And I'm not talking about pipe organs!
According to organdonor.gov, a website sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
the need is real:
-112,784 people are waiting for an organ
-18 people will die each day waiting for an organ
-1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives
This is a concern shared by other countries,
and some people are responding in creative ways.
On November 3, 2011, the BBC ran a story on a new charity in the UK.
It’s called Give a Kidney, One’s Enough,
and it’s an organization that encourages live organ donations to strangers.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Would you consider being an organ donor in life? How about in death?
%%%
Giving from what we have (instead of hoarding),
even to the point of sacrificial giving,
is a theme in today’s Gospel reading.
“The Feeding of the 5,000” is the only miracle
(apart from the resurrection)
which is present in all four canonical Gospels
(Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:5-15).
This story is also known as the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.
Let’s review the story together, a few verses at a time,
and, do me a favor, listen for the verbs.
34 Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd,
he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he began to teach them many things.
It seems like a simple introduction,
but there is a lot packed into those two sentences
that distinguishes the ministry of Jesus,
and that gives us hints to guide our walk of faith:
+ He arrived at the place where the people had gathered
o Hint 1: Jesus did not live in isolation.
+ He saw their need
o Hint 2: Jesus did not ignore the needs of those around him.
+ He had compassion on them
o Hint 3: Jesus did not blame people for their needs.
+ He taught them
o Hint 4: Jesus did not give people bread alone.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Are these the attitudes and actions that guide your life?
Or that guide our life as a community of faith?
%%%
Unfortunately, Jesus’ kind and generous spirit
is not reflected in his disciples.
Unlike Jesus, the disciples always have one thing in mind:
“Me, Myself, and I.”
35 Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said,
“This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day.
36 Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
Gee...that sounds SO familiar! I wonder why?
You see, unlike Jesus, the disciples want to...
get away from the crowd,
ignore the needs of people,
care only for themselves,
and give nothing (or as little as possible).
But Jesus does not let them off the hook!
He replies by saying the unthinkable:
“YOU give them something to eat.”
Please put the emphasis on the personal pronoun “you,”
and underline it in your Bible!
However, Jesus’ words apparently continue to fall on deaf ears,
and the disciples start getting defensive
and questioning Jesus’ sanity!
Verse 37b: But they said to him, “Are you nuts?”
Trust me, that’s what they said!
All that pretty and inoffensive Bible language
needs to be translated into the vernacular!
The CEB translation says: “Should we go off and buy bread
worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?”
And when we read these words with a nice church voice we miss the point.
But what it really means is, “Are you nuts? Are you crazy?”
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
How are you responding to the call of Jesus on our life?
How are we responding as a community of faith?
%%%
By now the disciples are convinced that Jesus is either crazy or deaf.
But that is not the case at all!
Jesus is totally sane and perfectly healthy,
which is why he can see right through the disciples’
weak alibis and selfish attitudes.
Jesus knows the disciples need to be taught as much as the crowds
(and sometimes MORE THAN the crowds!)
And Jesus knows that his disciples
—the ones from the first century and the ones from the 21st century—
need to learn to live out of a mentality of abundance,
instead of a mentality of scarcity.
The disciples need to learn to share what God has generously provided.
The disciples need to remember that nothing, absolutely nothing,
is ours to have and to hoard,
because everything, absolutely everything,
has been given to us by God to administer and to share.
That’s what Christian stewardship is all about!!!
Therefore, in verse 38a, Jesus says to them,
“How much bread do you have? Take a look.”
Jesus knew they had bread.
Jesus knew that God, the giver of all good gifts,
had provided them with bread and many other blessings.
Well, what do you know?
After looking around a bit in their pockets,
in their purses, in their baskets...
surprise!...they found some bread!
And in verse 38b they answer him by saying,
“Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
And so we learn that the community did not lack resources.
The community lacked the willing to share its resources.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What resources are you unwilling to share?
What resources is this community of faith unwilling to share?
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Finally, Jesus takes charge of the situation,
and he performs a Eucharist, an act of thanksgiving to God,
right there, in front of their eyes,
in the open air, on the grass,
without a sanctuary, a white tablecloth or silver ware.
Again, pay attention to the verbs:
+ He took...
o That is, he acknowledged what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He looked up to heaven and blessed...
o That is, he gave thanks for what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He broke...
o That is, he divided what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
+ He gave to them
o That is, he shared what had been provided
(by the earth, by the people, by God)
And guess what?
Everyone ate until they were full,
and there were plenty of leftovers!
When we start living out of a mentality of abundance,
when we start sharing what God has provided for us,
(instead of hoarding it and acting like it’s ours)
there is always enough for everyone,
and we even have leftovers!
But that requires a fifth verb:
the one that we find in the reading from Joshua.
QUESTION TO PONDER:
Can you guess what that verb is?
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So, did you guess what the fifth verb is?
The fifth verb is choose!
Living out of a mentality of abundance is a choice.
And putting God first is a choice.
May we live in such a way that we make the right choices.
May we live in such a way that each and every day
we choose to take, thank, break and share,
so that the world might come to know God’s abundance.
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Link to BBC story about organ donation: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15574025
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