Weekly Liturgy : July 27 - August 2
- John
- Jul 27
- 3 min read
Matthew 14:13-21
NRSV
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.
15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
18 And he said, "Bring them here to me."
19-21 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
REFLECTION
from John
What is the more impressive miracle…
That bread and fish appeared out of thin air?
Or that 5000 people went from thinking they did not have enough, to sharing with each other and discovering they had more than enough?
I myself have never seen food spontaneously replicate. And if I’m honest, if I did see that happen, I would be concerned about whether it were safe to eat. So, it’s not the miracle I really want.
I do want enough, however. I want enough for myself, the people I love, and the communities I participate in. Enough for those who call Church at the Park their own community.
The miracle I long for is the miracle of peace and life and comfort and thriving and joy and abundance and rest.
The miracle of not having to work so hard to survive.
The miracle of discovering this is already the reality we participate in.
If only it were so easy for us as it was for Jesus.
“Give them something to eat,” he tells his disciples.
May we all go and do likewise.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Assume positive intent before reacting. For example, when someone is late, you assume something came up rather than disrespect.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Name what you observe without adding judgment. Replace “you always / never” with a specific example.
Pathway Toward Center
Activism (Loving God by seeking change on behalf of the powerless):
Consider a judgment you hear people around you make about a particular group or demographic of people. What is a question or comment you could make the next time you hear this judgement spoken out loud, that might help the speaker rethink their perspective? Keep this line in your back pocket for when the moment comes.
Questions for Reflection
What is the most amazing or miraculous thing you’ve ever witnessed? What does that event teach you about God?
Do you think it’s possible for all of us humans to really have enough? What do you think it would require for all of us to start sharing our things so consistently, no one was ever in need?
“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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