Feed God’s Children - The Rev. Martie Johnson
One thing that becomes very apparent as we read the Gospels is that Jesus loved spending time alone with His Father. No matter how busy life became, He made time for prayer. Again and again, we find Him withdrawing to a deserted place to be alone with God.
If prayer was that important to Jesus, shouldn't it be important to us? We say we don't have enough time to carve out alone time with God, yet there are moments throughout the day that can become holy if we allow them. Sitting in a traffic jam can become "found time" with God instead of an opportunity to lose our temper and condemn other drivers to places we should not mention. Waiting in line at the grocery store, being put on hold for a long, long time (that is my time to pray for patience), or being kept waiting in a doctor’s waiting room can all become opportunities to listen for God's voice. It is simply a matter of using our time wisely.
Every time Jesus sought solitude, someone always seemed to find Him. The apostles, the disciples, and the crowds never stayed away for long. Jesus was the person everyone wanted to be with.
People probably never understood why Jesus needed time alone with God, because they were focused on their own needs. The poor, the sick, and the forgotten followed Him because they desperately needed hope. They wanted to be healed, longed to hear words of forgiveness and acceptance, and wanted someone to remind them that they mattered to God.
But Jesus knew something they did not: if you are going to give of yourself to others, you must first let God fill you with His grace.
Jesus always noticed them. He listened to their sorrows and healed broken bodies and wounded hearts. He met every need He could. Most importantly, He repeatedly reminded them that the Father loved each of His children unconditionally.
My brothers and sisters, some things never change. There are still people today who feel invisible, wondering whether anyone sees or cares about them.
In today's Gospel, Jesus is once again interrupted while He is in solitude. When He began preaching, His message held thousands of people spellbound for hours. I imagine Jesus spoke of the Father's love, forgiveness instead of revenge, mercy instead of judgment, and hope instead of despair. As time passed, the children must have grown restless, and parents must have wondered about supper. Yet no one wanted to leave. His words were so life-giving that, for a while, people forgot their empty stomachs as their souls were fed.
We are not told how long He taught the crowd, but by evening the apostles grew concerned. Thousands had gathered in a remote place, and there was no food. Their solution seemed perfectly reasonable. "Send them away." Jesus had another idea. "You give them something to eat." Those six simple words changed everything.
The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. That alone underscores its importance. Scripture records that with five loaves and two fish, thousands were fed, and twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered. It is certainly a miracle of God's power, but it is also a miracle of compassion, generosity, and responsibility. Some say that many in the crowd probably brought a little food and, after hearing Our Lord, decided to share it with those around them. Jesus taught His disciples that following Him involves much more than preaching beautiful sermons. It means caring for the whole person. He reminded His disciples that spiritual and physical care belong together.
The miracle was not simply about multiplying bread and fish. It was about opening the disciples' eyes. They were beginning to understand that when people are entrusted to our care, we cannot simply wish them well and send them away. I think that is where this Gospel challenges us.
How do we treat the Word of God? Is it something we talk about? Is it something we hear on Sunday and forget by Monday? Or is it something we try, however imperfectly, to live out each day?
We live in a difficult world. Human suffering has not disappeared. Poverty persists, and violence continues to tear families apart. People continue to flee danger, hunger, and hopelessness in search of safety and a chance to start over.
People will hold different opinions on immigration, public policy, and how governments should respond. These are important conversations, and responsible people may disagree. But before we are citizens of any nation, we are followers of Jesus Christ. Our first question should never be, "What is their political position?" It should always be, "How do we show them the love of Christ?" Jesus answered that question long ago:
"I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you gave me clothing; I was sick, and you took care of me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me."
Those words leave little room for excuses. As Christians, we are called to notice those others overlook. Sometimes that means giving a few dollars to someone in need. Sometimes it means giving an hour of our time to someone who is lonely. Sometimes it simply means listening without judgment or offering a prayer for someone carrying a heavy burden. Jesus said, "You give them something to eat." He is still saying those words today, not only to bishops, priests, or deacons, but to all of us.
One of St. Andrew’s greatest strengths is its generosity. Time and again, when a need has arisen, you have responded with open hearts and willing hands. Whether through food drives, outreach ministries, or quiet acts of kindness no one else sees, you have continued Christ's work in this community. May you never lose that spirit.
Go and make disciples of all nations. Feed God's children—with bread when they are hungry, with compassion when they are hurting, with forgiveness when they have failed, and with the love of Christ in all you do. For when we do these things for the least of God's children, we do them for Christ Himself.
Amen.
