“As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:15-21
This story of the miracle where Jesus feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fish and there are basketfuls of leftovers always amazes me. I smoked beef brisket, ribs, pork butt and four hot dogs yesterday and when the five adults and three children finished eating our fill of meat, salad and desert we had leftovers; but not more than was originally on the kitchen counter. There was quite possibly enough to feed three dozen Haitian school children, their teachers, the principal and the cooks. Yesterday, I ate a lite breakfast, that feast for lunch and skipped dinner cause I wasn’t hungry; two meals was all that I needed. Most of the children in this photo will only eat one filling meal today; the Trinity/HOPE lunch you have helped provide. We thank you Jesus, for these children from Chincheron, for the food, and for the donors from Christ Lutheran in Lincoln, NE who gave of their monetary excesses; leftovers. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy’ that were written by Johann Heermann in 1656.
“Feed Thy children, God most holy, comfort sinners poor and lowly; O Thou Bread of Life from heaven, bless the food Thou here hast given! As these gifts the body nourish, may our souls in graces flourish till with saints in heavenly splendor at Thy feast due thanks we render.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay