Between

A Reflection on the Gospel for July 25th, 2021:
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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​John
6.1-15

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 Jews, 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?” He said this to test him, 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 Jesus, “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.
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Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

After this? What came before John 6:1 that drove Him up the mountain? What was coming after John 6:15 that a return to the high places was what He craved?


This scene by the seaside is sandwiched between two declarations.


One is said in Jerusalem following a Sabbath healing by the pool of Bethesda. As He answers a challenge, He calls out who His Father is, and how inseparable They are.


The other is said in Capernaum, to where this crowd He had fed and then fled followed Him. As He issues a challenge, He calls out who He is. He is the Bread of Life, and it’s Him they need. We need. Not the signs and wonders, but Who they point to. God in flesh, given for us.


And a command to go with each.
‘Take up and walk.’
‘Believe and receive.’
There’s a connection. Between these two times He sits on a mountainside and draws the eyes of the fishermen and tax collectors He’s travelling with toward something: Toward a crowd gathering in the bowl of grass before them.


There is need. There’s something here, but on its own it will fall far short of meeting the need. Lift it up to God, and start giving out what He gave you. It could have rained bread from the sky, but He chose to bless the piece in your hand that someone else had brought to the party. In the process of giving it away nothing is lost, instead more is gained.


Jesus’ oneness with the Father is complete and He says, ‘I am God.’
Jesus’ oneness with our brokenness is complete and on the cross He says, ‘I am God, given for you.’


There is a connection between the two revelations. Give thanks and share. From that moment with His disciples sitting watching the crowd gather, to me sitting here writing this and you sitting there reading this, strings an unbroken line. To someone sitting near Him, He brings people who don’t even know the extent of their need. He asks us to see them, to take what they have brought with them and invite them to give it to Him and let Him offer it to the Father and transform it. Transform them. As He transforms us.


He doesn’t promise us this sharing will be easy, or that it won’t hurt. He does promise us that it will matter. In Jerusalem the crowd wanted to kill Him and in Capernaum the crowd wanted to use Him. Go up the mountain. Sit with Him. Then stand up and walk down the slope with Him. Wonder of all wonders, you have enough to meet the need. Don’t worry if you think you need to bring half a year’s wages. All you need is someone’s lunch bag. And Him.




Noreen Smith

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