July 25, 2021
Trinity 8
(Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16; John 6:1-15)
When was the last time you considered the question, "What is my calling?" That's not a question of your job, although the hope is that any occupation we engage in becomes an expression of our deeper call. The same goes for our state of life: married, single, clergy – with or without celibacy vows – and any myriad of possibilities. Each of those commitments becomes the context through which we become who we are called to be.
St. Paul brings us this question today in the Letter to the Ephesians, a letter that scholars see as addressed to the worldwide church throughout the ages. We might imagine the great apostle looking directly at us — individually or as an assembled community — as he says with a booming voice, "I urge you to live a life worthy of your calling."
Now, look in the mirror and dare to ask, "What is he expecting of us?" or "What does he hope for us? What does it mean to really live our calling or vocation?"
Paul goes to the heart of the matter and says, "You were called to one hope."
That hope, he explains, comes through the Lord Jesus and draws as one body in the Spirit into union with the Father so that God dwells in and through all. Our call is to be exactly who we are, offering our own gifts to the one body we are becoming.
So far, this is theory about hope and unity and vocation. Some churches follow a three readings cycle for their Sunday services – one from the Old Testament, one from the New testament, and one from the Gospels. If we were to use the Old Testament reading assigned for today in the Revised Common Lectionary, we would read from 2 Kings 4 also. 2 Kings and John offer something more specific than Paul’s expectations.
The story about Elisha is one in a series of anecdotes in which the prophet worked life-giving wonders on behalf of individuals or groups of people.
In this case, someone came from pagan territory with a small sacrificial offering. Instead of saving the gift for sacrifice, Elisha ordered a servant to distribute what would have been the equivalent of 20 rolls and some raw grain to a group of a hundred hungry people.
The sensible servant protested that such a gesture was ridiculous, if not insulting. Who would present such a paltry amount to such a large group?
Of course, as in the other situations mentioned in this section of 2 Kings, Elisha's outrageous desire to respond to the need at hand found fulfillment. The people ate and there were leftovers.
In today's Gospel, we hear the most oft-repeated story in the New Testament, the miraculous sharing of bread. The same one we heard from Mark last week. Mark and Matthew each recount two versions of the story and Luke and John each tell one; every rendition has unique emphases. While John's is the longest and most theological, today we begin with the details of the incident.
Obviously, the evangelists capitalized on the parallels between this incident and Elisha's history. John adds special details including the fact that this happened around the time of Passover, the celebration of God's deliverance of Israel from slavery.
Then, even more than in Elisha's story, we hear of the preposterous disparity between the size of the crowd and the quantity of available food. Mark and John also add subtle details that reflect Psalm 23 by depicting people reclining on lush grass.
In each account, we hear echoes of the Last Supper as Jesus takes bread, gives thanks and distributes it to the people. Anyone steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures hears this as a story of one greater than Elisha offering bread as God did in the Exodus desert. Christians hear in it strains of a Eucharistic celebration.
Having relished some of the artistry and details of the story, we still ask what it says about our calling. Admittedly, the story seems preposterous to some. One can invent rational explanations for what happened, but none of the evangelists are interested in those. We are meant to see and believe in the miracle of the loaves.
In spite of the way we often refer to the incident, no account ever says that the bread was multiplied. They only tell how a tiny amount was offered, that the multitude ate, and there was food to spare — in spite of the disciples' doubts. There is no scientific explanation, that is why it is called a miracle.
In the light of Paul's invitation to great hope, we can read the stories of miraculous sharing as a call to preposterous faith. The thought that humanity can learn to act as one or that we can "live in a manner worthy" of our call appears as ludicrous as the decision to satisfy the hunger of a multitude with a few rolls and some dried fish. It is also the hope to which we are called. We are called to the hope – faith of a God who can, and does, all things. Miracles are indeed real.
According to these Scriptures, faith calls forth unreasonable expectations. Our calling is to offer the paltry stuff of our lives and assume that God will do more with us than we could ask or imagine.
Maybe this is the calling for all Christians, to look for the miracle in what seems preposterous and ludicrous. To know in the end, that our calling, and life’s miracles are not our own. They are God’s. Maybe if we expected and thus were more open to miracles, more would be experienced.
Let’s us follow Paul’s call to hope and live our calling in preposterous ways.
Let us pray.
In our Gospel reading we are reminded that there are so many in the world today seeking the true meaning of life, like sheep without a shepherd. We pray to our God in Heaven, who is father of all mankind, that He have compassion for all his flock and open our eyes to our calling and to the message of the true shepherd. We pray to the Lord.
For a sharper awareness of the hungers within our hearts. May we rely on your grace and providence to satisfy and fill us, and to give us direction. We pray to the Lord.
Bless all who bring food – our loaves and fishes - to our tables daily; farmers, harvesters, transporters, grocers and cooks. Renew their dedication with energy, perseverance and inspiration. We pray to the Lord.
That the Church may boldly and faithfully point to Christ as the true bread and sustenance for every human need. We pray to the Lord.
For those around the world and here in our country where cases of COVID-19 are seeing another surge, and for those anxious about the future. We pray to the Lord.
For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.
We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.
Wondrous and generous God, your gifts are overwhelming: Your sun lights the way for our journey, and your stars puncture our darkness. Your living water quenches our thirst, and your broken bread opens the door to eternal life. Your healing touch binds up our wounds, and your forgiveness washes clean our sin.
Wondrous and generous God, from the four corners of the earth, a chorus of praise erupts. The ocean roars and the trees shout their joy. From the deepest depths of our being, our prayer gropes to find words of adoration. For you are patient and kind, even as we wander, lured by the trivial and attracted by the quick solution. For you are full of compassion and truth, even as we stumble in relationships and hesitate at the doors of justice.
Come now, wondrous and generous God. Bring comfort to those who agonize over broken relationships, who mourn the death of what used to be. Touch those whose bodies need healing. Liberate those whose addictions warp their full potential. Surprise those whose days are filled with sameness and whose joy has ceased.
Come now, wondrous and generous God. Make this church a place where seeds grow, joy is shared, songs are sung, peace is shaped, dreams are born, sorrow is graced and ripples of love spread. May your preposterous ways permeate our lives so that we may see your miracles and what you are calling us to be. In the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
God Love you +++
The Most Rev. Robert Winzens
Pastor – St. Francis Chapel
San Diego, CA
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