Tenison Woods and MacKillop Centre News: Heavenly food for the throng

When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered, ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’

Matthew 14:15 - 17

It is perhaps easy to romanticise Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 (not counting women and children) as a de Mille spectacular. Yet it comes sandwiched between the brutal execution of his cousin John the Baptist and Peter’s lack of faith as he sinks beneath the waves. Having withdrawn to a quiet place to grieve, Jesus is hounded by the crowd that has sought him out. Jesus, in a eucharist-like anticipation, feeds them with both his word and with bread, broken and shared. The fish as a symbol of the Christ is ancient and its multiplication of the fish a sign and affirmation of his presence.

The disciples in this setting are servants. When evening came and Jesus had healed their sick, it was the disciples who encouraged Jesus to send them away so that the crowds might find their own food. Nevertheless at Jesus’ bidding the disciples feed the throng.

Once again we see Jesus being moved with compassion and nudging his disciples to serve those who are hungry. The grief-stricken Jesus is the one who puts aside his own concerns to be available to others. The disciples are redirected and begin to feed those gathered.

The story itself is undoubtedly conflated and inflated, certainly such a crowd would be unlikely in a lonely place, nor in reality would sharing five loaves and two fish, no matter how miraculous, to be achieved in such a timely manner, the logistics would be challenging. This is why this story is so much about the heavenly banquet we all await – it just isn’t possible in all its richness to be fully available right here and now. It is that tension between the now and the eschaton.

For those in leadership roles we can choose to model ourselves on Jesus – let our own concerns and business be put aside in order to serve others – motivated principally by compassion. Or, we can choose to be directed, because we trust in the Lord. Either way, the work is done and we participate in the action that both realises the kingdom and propels us into perfect relationship with our God.

Peter

Peter's whereabouts for the next 2 weeks

Meetings coming up

Please forward any agenda items for meetings (with some indication of time required and context) to Carole at carole.goodwin@catholic.tas.edu.au

Condolences

Our commiserations to Michelle Wootton whose grandfather, Roy O’Halloran passed away during the holidays. In a twist of fate, Roy was a second cousin to my wife Toni’s mother, Marjory O’Halloran Becker, making Toni and Michelle 3^rd cousins!

Annette

Annette has asked to pass on her thanks to all for the kind wishes and offers of prayer that have been made.

Images from the spirituality day in the north