SEEL Preparation Week - Day 6 - The Return of the Twelve and the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

Matthew 9 14-21 

When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” [Jesus] said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over —twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. 

Focus:

Jesus feeds and heels all of the people.

This morning I was captured by the phrase "he said the blessing…" I wondered what prayer he would have said or if the style of prayer in first-century Israel had been lost. As is typical of me, I had to research to see if I could find the prayer Jesus prayed. I found the following prayer:

Barukh attah, Adonai Eloheynu, Melekh-ha’olam, haMotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

(Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth)

The commentary suggested there had been no real change in the prayer between then and now and this would have been the most likely candidate. The beauty and imagery remain unchanged. Blessing the Lord activates the Holy Spirit so the blessing can travel from giver to receiver. We recognize his divinity and the scope of his influence. King of the universe pretty well covers the bases. It is true and correct to say he brings the wheat used to make the bread from the earth. We plant it, we care for it, we harvest it but the lifeforce that cracks open the wheat seed and touches the growth is all about God. We don't often stop to consider the mystery of life and how it flows from creation through today and then on until tomorrow. We just don't realize the full extent of the forces at work to simply germinate one kernel of grain or we would be bound to worship and praise him without stopping long enough to grind flour. I see a great similarity between the ordinary growth of wheat which happens because of unseen forces and the multiplication of the loaves by Jesus after using such a simple but perfect prayer of thanks. Both are miracles. The only difference is one is common and the other happens only once before we are given the eucharist. 

If this event of feeding the people foreshadows the eucharist, so too does the fact that "they all ate and were satisfied." Is that not happens when we receive the Eucharist? The smallest crumb changed into his body will satisfy our need to be with him completely even though it creates the desire to experience the eucharist again and again. 

The Lord blessed God, God blessed the lord and together with the holy spirit the three blessed to people. If only the disciples had recognized the full scope of what had happened on that day, they would have not doubted so much as a speck from that day on. 

I reflect back on the times recently when I received the eucharist. The blessing re-awakens and I feel satisfied but still hungry for more. The miracle awaits us at the altar. Thanks be to God.