Jesus Calls Us
Called from the Margins of Society
The Prodigal Son
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) Matthew 14:13-21 The Message Supper for Five Thousand13-14 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. 15 Toward evening, the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country, and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper." 16 But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper." 17 "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said. 18-21 Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.
For Reflection
The people who gathered were probably poor. Because of the injustice of the oppressive Roman rule, almost 80% of the people lived day to day, not knowing if there would be enough to eat tomorrow. They lived one step away from starvation. One bad season, one bad harvest, or one more disaster could be life-threatening in this mostly agrarian society.
"...this Psalm reminds us that those who orient their lives toward the ways of God and the kingdom of God will face hardships. The good news, however, is that those hardships are not lasting, but the strength of God is: from age to age. "Faith lives amidst adversity, [but] praise is not the celebration of the powerful and the prosperous; rather, it is the language and the lifestyle of those who know at all times and in every circumstance that their lives belong to God and that their futures depend on God." 3 Whatever we do in word, action, thought, or deed, is to reflect a lifetime of learning through experience — as the Psalmist has — the goodness of the God in whom we place our hope and trust."*
*Eric Mathis, Assistant Professor of Music and Worship, Samford University, Birmingham, AL. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fourth-sunday-after-epiphany-3/commentary-on-psalm-711-6-3
Pray
Pray for those who have little to eat. Pray for those who feed the poor. Pray for those who advocate for life-sustaining services and work to solve the problem of hunger and homelessness.
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