Aug. 5, 2018: 18th Sunday B
Aug. 5, 2018: 18th Sunday B
The other day, on Facebook, there was a video post that simply read, “Do you know this person?” It was a home security camera footage of someone wandering and rummaging through a carport. At the end, the stranger in the video disappears off the camera clutching expensive equipment and tools. The person posting the video was rightfully angry and frustrated that someone stole their personal possessions for which they worked so hard. It is frustrating that the very things we value can disappear without our consent. Something similar happened to a couple living in Redding, California one night last week, when they evacuated their home with little more than their medication, photo albums, and a set of clothes. The next day they returned, only to find a heap of ashes where their house once stood. How is it that the very things we worked so hard for can disappear before our eyes?
The Book of Ecclesiastes echoes this sentiment, “I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a chase after wind” (Eccl 1:14) The author of Ecclesiastes is trying to tell us that everything that we chase after that is not of God is empty, futile and absurd. Things that we hope would be permanent are subject to change, qualification, and loss. Ultimately, everything we have worked so hard to accumulate comes to an abrupt end with our death. Imagine the crowd of people chasing Jesus after they’ve been fed miraculously from two fish and five loaves of bread. They were hungry for more; however, instead of asking for something that truly lasts, they were searching for temporary fulfillment, such as filling their belly and their curiosity for miraculous wonders. Jesus cautioned the crowd, “Do not work for food that perishes but for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:27) Then as is now, their tendency was to gratify the senses and not the soul. What they needed (as do we) was sustenance that not only filled their belly but also their soul.
Jesus directed the crowd to believe in him, for God the Father gives the true bread from heaven which gives life to the world. Jesus told them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." It’s an answer which was received with incredulity by the crowd. And here we are 2000 years later, and we still don’t grasp what he meant when he said, “I am the Bread of Life.” We hear what he said, we know it intellectually, but in practice we live as though we can’t trust God to provide what we need. We want to connect with Jesus through prayer and Sacraments, yet we also want a steady diet of the things of this world.
Here is a simple question to test whether we have prioritized the Kingdom of God over perishable things of this earth. When we wake up in the morning, what is the first thing on our mind? Is it preoccupied with thoughts of work, the responsibilities of the day, or the anxieties that we carried over from yesterday? Is our mind so wrapped up in the things of earth—bigger homes, better vacation, creature comforts—that the thought of God has no place in it? I don’t just mean praying the prayer book, but being the hands and feet of Jesus; in other words, being the bread of life for someone else. Jesus gave us an amazing example of loving by becoming “bread” to enter into everyone’s lives—by making himself edible, he became food and nourishment for others. His life became a sacrificial love for others. Can we also be bold enough to become nourishment for others? Can we love in such a way to make others feel nourished by our love? Can others be comforted, uplifted, and understood by our patience, gentle guidance, and empathy?
The other day, on Facebook, there was a video post that simply read, “Do you know this person?” It was a home security camera footage of someone wandering and rummaging through a carport. At the end, the stranger in the video disappears off the camera clutching expensive equipment and tools. The person posting the video was rightfully angry and frustrated that someone stole their personal possessions for which they worked so hard. It is frustrating that the very things we value can disappear without our consent. Something similar happened to a couple living in Redding, California one night last week, when they evacuated their home with little more than their medication, photo albums, and a set of clothes. The next day they returned, only to find a heap of ashes where their house once stood. How is it that the very things we worked so hard for can disappear before our eyes?
Here is a simple question to test whether we have prioritized the Kingdom of God over perishable things of this earth. When we wake up in the morning, what is the first thing on our mind? Is it preoccupied with thoughts of work, the responsibilities of the day, or the anxieties that we carried over from yesterday? Is our mind so wrapped up in the things of earth—bigger homes, better vacation, creature comforts—that the thought of God has no place in it? I don’t just mean praying the prayer book, but being the hands and feet of Jesus; in other words, being the bread of life for someone else. Jesus gave us an amazing example of loving by becoming “bread” to enter into everyone’s lives—by making himself edible, he became food and nourishment for others. His life became a sacrificial love for others. Can we also be bold enough to become nourishment for others? Can we love in such a way to make others feel nourished by our love? Can others be comforted, uplifted, and understood by our patience, gentle guidance, and empathy?
