READ SCRIPTURE (John 6:1-21)
Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jewish people, was near. When 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?" Jesus said this to test Philip, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus 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. Then 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. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When 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."
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.
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But Jesus said to them, "Here I AM; do not be afraid." Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
REFLECT ON THE READING
How can we find food enough to feed all the hungry world? And, though we are ourselves not often as physically hungry as countless people are, do we realize we also are part of that world, needing help? In the story, Jesus feeds a multitude; like Elijah he uses just a little of the humble bread of the poor. But Jesus is more than a miracle-working prophet. He is himself the very bread that we need. The wilderness blossoms; the sea is made a place to walk; the God of the old Passover story — I AM — is with us. Yet when they want to make him a king, he hides, just as his divinity will later be hidden on the cross. In faith, we know that the bread of God comes to us from that cross — in the meal that witnesses to his death and resurrection, as also in the word that is full of God’s presence and love. By the Spirit working in word and sacrament, Christ comes to dwell in our hearts and we are filled with the fullness of God. Then we are made to be what we hear and eat. As the church, we take up the 12 baskets to distribute the bread of love in the needy world.
PRAY
Gracious God, you have placed within the hearts of all your children a longing for your word and a hunger for your truth. Grant that we may know your Son to be the true bread of heaven and share this bread with all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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