The Blog of St. Mark

One of those days

• Order of Service: Common Service (CW, p15)
• Lessons: Isaiah 55:1-5, Romans 8:35-39, Matthew 14:13-21
• Hymns: 353, 395, 445, 332

In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

You ever had “one of those days”?  Jesus did.  Jesus is.  He hops on a boat with the disciples to get away from things.  He has a lot on his mind.  So do the disciples.  Sitting in that boat they recount to each other how things went on their just-ended sans-Jesus mission trip.

“I think we preached in 10, no 11, villages,” Simon says.  Thaddaeus nods wearily in agreement.

“I didn’t know that so many people could be sick at one time,” James and John marvel.

“How did the devil ever get his hooks in so deeply?  We must of exorcised 50 people!” Thomas and Matthew say between thirsty drinks.

The other apostles no doubt report much the same.  Maybe they tally up sermons preached, sick healed, and possessed exorcised.  Maybe they wait for some word of praise from Jesus.  Perhaps He smiles and congratulates.  Perhaps He encourages and exhorts.  Perhaps He just grins and nods knowingly.  Perhaps the bittersweetness of it all sweeps over Him like the waves He watches pounding the beaches.

“John’s dead,” Jesus mutters.  Did the disciples hear the news?  Or were they getting the news for the first time?  “Herod silenced the Forerunner.”  Thus, a boat ride away from all the preaching, teaching, healing, and crowds.  Thus a chance to pray and talk with his disciples.  That’s the plan.  Alone time.  Prayer time.  Talking with friends time.  Sadness over the murder of John the Baptist time.  But it’s one of those days.

No sooner does the boat hit land then someone hits Jesus with, “My mother’s sick, can you help?”  “Teacher, do you have any more of those wonderful parables you were telling us last week?”  “Can you tell me the one about treasure in a field again?  I want to write it down.”  And not just from one or two souls who happen upon the dock.  It’s the crowd.  A big crowd.  A five-figure crowd.  Five-thousand men.  Plus women and children.  All looking at Jesus.  All expecting something from Jesus.  All asking.  All begging.  All praying.  All hoping.  All alone.  Just like Jesus wants to be.  But won’t get to be.  It’s one of those days.

The disciples anchor the boat and help Jesus off.  While they tie it down and get their belongings out, they hear Jesus talking and see Jesus teaching.  “Your faith has healed you.”  “Sure, have you heard the one about the landowner who hired workers for his vineyard?”  “Now, what’s wrong with your sister?”  “Right.  The kingdom of heaven is like a man walking in a field who finds a treasure.  He hides it, sells everything, so that he can buy the field.  Got it, or do you need me to tell it again?”  “What do you need me to do for you?”  And the disciples know:  it’s going to be one of those days.

Philip looks at his watch and notices the time.  It’s late.  Supper time.  “Jesus, send the crowds back to the villages.  Let them get some food to eat.  They’re tired and hungry.  We’re tired and hungry.  We’ve got a little bit of food here, but only enough for us.  We can pick this up tomorrow if we have too.”  But it’s one of those days, because Jesus says, “You feed ‘em.”

“Come again, Lord?  Didn’t you hear me say that we’ve got enough food for us?  There’s this kid with some bread and fish, but again, it’s not nearly enough.  Even if we pooled all our money, we couldn’t feed this crowd.  If you haven’t noticed, we’re talking thousands here.  Our bankroll’s a little low.  Send ‘em away.  There’s some nice restaurants and markets in the local villages.”

“You said there’s a boy here with some bread and fish?  Bring him to me.”  Curious, Philip does what Jesus asks.  He brings the boy with his bread and fish.  “Here you are, Master.  Now what?”

Jesus takes the bread and fish and looks up to heaven.  “The eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time.  You open your hands and satisfy the desires of every living thing.  Give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good.  His mercy endures forever.  Amen.”  Then He hands the food to the disciples.  Judas raises some bread to his mouth, but notices that no one else does.  Because Jesus says, “Feed them.”

“With what?” Judas wonders.  “A crust of bread?  A bite of fish?”  Seriously, it’s one of those days when Judas wants to just grab Jesus and shake Him a little bit.  Philip too.  It would have been so much easier if Jesus would use some of that almighty power to avoid this crowd.  Or to wander into a town where they could buy food.  Judas looks at Bartholomew and sees that he’s thinking the same thing.  “Would it have been too much, Lord, to tell the crowd, ‘Come back tomorrow?  I’m sad.  My disciples just got back from a trip.  We’ll help you then.’  Would that have been too much?”

But then Judas also looks at Andrew, and the other James, and Peter, and sees them handing out food to first one family, then another, then another.   He sees the rest of the disciples doing the same, moving from one group of fifty to the next.  So he tries it.  He breaks the bread in half and gives it to a dad.  Then he breaks it in half again.  And again.  And again.  And again.  And again.  The same with the fish.  Before he knows it, Judas gives bread and fish to 100 people.  And even some who asked for seconds.  For the next hour it’s all Judas can do to keep up with the demand.  But the bread and the fish never run out.  He even sneaks some for himself.  Not just a snack, but a meal.  Because it’s one of those days.

Voices weary from preaching tell the crowds that there’s plenty.   Hands weary from healing hand out bread and fish.  Feet tired from walking go around collecting enough leftovers to feed another crowd.  Enough to keep the disciples fed for a few more weeks.  Enough to compensate that boy and then some.

After he puts his food hamper down, Judas wipes the sweat off his brow, checks the time, and then just looks at Christ.  He sees the other eleven doing the same.  They can hear the crowd thanking Jesus and cheering Jesus.  They even hear someone shout, “It’s the Prophet!  Let’s make Him our King!”

But all that fades into the background for a moment.  Because they watch Christ still talking, still touching, still teaching, still healing.  Still forgiving sins.  He’s done enough.  More than anyone could have imagined.  They see Jesus offering and giving rest.  They see his gentle and humble heart.  They see He who is first serving Himself last.  They see the Father giving out daily bread.  They see that not even Jesus’ own grief can separate them, or this crowd, or anyone from His love.

They haven’t even seen the best part yet.  But in faith they know it, even if they can’t grasp it yet.  They’ve seen Jesus do His Isaiah 55 work, “Come!  You’ve got no money?  It doesn’t matter.  Buy wine and milk.  Have it!  It’s free!”  But they’re also seeing Him do His Isaiah 53 work.  He takes upon Himself the sicknesses and sorrows of this crowd.  And He’ll take more.

On one of those days.  On that day, the Bread of life won’t give bread and fish to eat, but He’ll give thanks and hand out bread that is His body and pass around a cup that is His blood.  For souls, not stomachs.  For the forgiveness of sins.  On that day His grief will know no bounds.  It will drive Him to the ground.  It will make him sweat blood.  It will lead Him to ask God for another way.  But God will crush Him.  God will cause Him to suffer.  God will pierce Him and punish Him.  And lay on Him the sins of us all.

On that day a global crowd stands before Christ, a Christ who only wants to be left alone to pray.  But a Christ who looks upon this crowd and has compassion on them.  They’re sheep without a shepherd.  They’re tired.  They’re hungry.  They’re hell-bound.  But no more.  Because it’s one of those days.

Grief doesn’t keep Jesus away from you.  Grief doesn’t stop Jesus from providing healing, instruction, and daily bread.  Grief over your sins doesn’t stop Jesus from doing what needed doing:  taking the bread that is His body, giving thanks to God, and giving that body over as a sacrifice for your sins.  Giving that body to eat in faith, giving that blood to drink in faith.  Giving you life.  Eternal life.  When you deserved only death.

Some of that was hidden from the disciples on this day.  Mark says they got into a boat that night and their hearts were hard.  They didn’t understand about the loaves and the fish.  They missed that it was the Bread of life giving daily bread.  You need not.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, Jesus says.  Not for food that spoils, but for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).  Because they will be filled.

On this day Jesus let the disciples see that come true.  So do you.  Add hunger to Paul’s list, why don’t you.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword (Romans 8:35)?  Shall hunger?  The simple answer is “No.”  Even if it’s one of those days.  Especially if it’s one of those days.  Because you just saw the full extent of Jesus’ love.  Nothing is more important to Him than teaching you, than healing you, than comforting you, than feeding you, than forgiving you.  Amen.