John 6 : 1 - 21
1-4 Jesus crossed Lake Galilee, which was also known as Lake Tiberias. A large crowd had seen him work miracles to heal the sick, and those people went with him. It was almost time for the Jewish festival of Passover, and Jesus went up on a mountain with his disciples and sat down.
5-6 When Jesus saw the large crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we get enough food to feed all these people?” He said this to test Philip, since he already knew what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered, “Don't you know that it would take almost a year's wages just to buy only a little bread for each of these people?”
8-9 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the disciples. He spoke up and said, “There is a boy here who has five small loaves of barley bread and two fish. But what good is that with all these people?”
10-11 The ground was covered with grass, and Jesus told his disciples to tell everyone to sit down. About 5,000 men were in the crowd. Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat.
12-13 The people ate all they wanted, and Jesus told his disciples to gather up the leftovers, so that nothing would be wasted. The disciples gathered them up and filled twelve large baskets with what was left over from the five barley loaves.
14-15 After the people had seen Jesus work this miracle, they began saying, “This must be the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Jesus realized that they would try to force him to be their king. So he went up on a mountain, where he could be alone.
16-18 That evening, Jesus' disciples went down to the lake. They got into a boat and started across for Capernaum. Later that evening Jesus had still not come to them, and a strong wind was making the water rough.
19-21 When the disciples had rowed for five or six kilometers, they saw Jesus walking on the water. He kept coming closer to the boat, and they were terrified. But he said, “I am Jesus! Don't be afraid!” The disciples wanted to take him into the boat, but suddenly the boat reached the shore where they were headed.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from John:
I don’t know about you, but I have never seen food multiply out of thin air.
But I have seen compassion multiply. And generosity.
I’ve seen what happens when one person turns toward another in an act of love or solidarity or mercy or service. Bystanders take notice. Something in our individual and collective hearts soften. People join in on the act of care. We walk away inspired to do more good.
If you need proof, let me tell you about my friends who live outside. The holiest moments I’ve encountered happen in hidden campsites belonging to my unsheltered neighbors. Among ripped tents and 5-week-old trash, between runs to the Bottle Drop and after intense fights with campmates, next to broken bikes with flat tires and molding produce given away by grocery stores that still sell the fresh stuff, against the backdrop of vessels that deliver the pain-soothing substances. On this stage, you will find the miracle of the loaves and fishes repeated.
When James hasn’t eaten in three days, so Gloria offers a sandwich out of her backpack and it inspires Davy and Rabbit to start cooking eggs over the fire. All of a sudden there’s enough for everyone to sit and share a meal and be satisfied.
When Troy has a doctor’s appointment but no transportation, so Joe offers his bike with a leaky tire and it inspires Jamie to offer a bike pump for the journey.
When Julie walks into camp, her face and arms bearing evidence that, for some period of the day, her own body was not her’s to posses but a man’s, so Kristin offers her own bed for rest while others offer compassionate words or tears of solidarity and together they establish a plan for protection and healing.
These are the moments that increase my faith that miracles are real.
This is the stuff I want to imitate until the masses are filled and there’s too much goodness left over for us to know what to do with.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
This week, find as many reasons to say “Thank you” as possible.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
We humans have decided that emotions are appropriate to express in some spaces, but not others. What types of contexts allow you the most amount of permission to express your emotions? How might those contexts be recreated for yourself and others?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Contemplation (drawing near to God in silence and reflection):
For 10 minutes each day this week, bring into your mind a friend. Reflect on the things you love about them, are curious about them, or are annoyed by. Consider their circumstances, needs, and wants. After 10 minutes, make a plan to offer a word or gesture of care to your friend.
Questions for Reflection
What spaces or events help you to believe in goodness?
When have you received gratitude from someone else for your own goodness?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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