Tag: five barley loaves and two fish

Friday of 2nd Week of Easter, 28 Apr – John 6:1-15 ~ God our provider

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

Lord our God, your Son Jesus fed those who followed him in the desert and they received as much as they wanted. May we know and be convinced that he can fill our own emptiness not just with gifts that fill our need of the moment but with himself, and may we accept him eagerly, for he is our Lord for ever.
__________

Reading: John 6:1-15(NLT)

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
__________

Reflection & Prayer:

Gracious God: In this information age, I am overwhelmed by the plight of the needy; my mind can’t begin to comprehend the depth of their distress. My personal resources seem insignificant; and yet, you fed thousands with a child’s lunch.

  • Lord, nothing escapes your attention; hear the cries of the needy and destitute.
  • Lord, provide for them, both physically and spiritually, out of the abundance of your grace.
  • Lord, multiply the generous giving of your people through Christian agencies.
  • Lord, give wisdom and discernment to Christians in the distribution of resources.
  • Lord, protect us all from the wiles and deceit of the evil one who would subvert their efforts.

God our Provider: All that I have comes from you, use me as you will to advance your Kingdom and bring honor to your name. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
__________

“Provider” – Urban Rescue


__________

Concluding Prayer

The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? – Psalm 27:1 (NLT)
__________

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: 17 Apr – Acts 5:34-42; John 6:1-15 ~ if God is behind it, you cannot stop it

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Through His Spirit God raised Jesus from the dead and He will give life to our own mortal bodies. Lord, give us life through Your Holy Spirit.

A Reading from Acts: Acts 5:34-42 (NLT)

The Old Rabbi Rembrandt, 1643 Woburn Abbey, Bedforshire
The Old Rabbi
Rembrandt, 1643 Woburn Abbey, Bedforshire

But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
__________

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: John 6:1-15 (NLT)

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

icon_christ_loaves

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
__________


__________

Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Morning Prayer, 30 Jan – John 6:1-15 ~ identity check

Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences – Chad of Lichfield (?-672)

You pour life into me, giving me speech, sense, desire, giving me thought and action. My fame or repute will be just as You allow: You mark the way before me.

On Your path, O my God, and not my own, be all my journeying. Rule this heart of mine that it be only Yours.

Morning readings

John 6:1-15 ESV:

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

Five Loaves and Two Fish by John Larsen
Five Loaves and Two Fish
by John Larsen

Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then 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. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Reflections / Prayer:

The test

The testing of Philip is ultimately concerned with the recognition of Jesus’ identity and the graciousness of God. What God is looking for is faith – trust that God will be loyal to his covenant obligations to care for his people. The question is meant to reveal Jesus as the presence of that gracious God who is providing the ultimate blessing — eternal life.

God’s children continue to be tested in this same way today. We who have the benefit of the revelation of the New Testament and the witness of the Spirit still find ourselves in situations that challenge us to think and act in keeping with our recognition of God as the ultimate reality in every situation, even situations of great fear or grief, when God seems absent or cruel.

Such testing is not comfortable, but it is part of God’s graciousness, for it achieves a deepening of our faith by revealing our own weakness and God’s all-sufficiency.

(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

__________

The sign

It is a sign that reveals Jesus’ identity and the Father’s gracious gifts. All food and drink come from God, so Jesus here continues to do what he sees his Father doing.

Jesus takes a child’s lunch and from it provides for all. Andrew does not see how the child’s lunch can be of help, but just such weakness is characteristic of the way God provides. He produces sons from barren women and even from a virgin; he chooses what is foolish, weak, lowly, despised and even nonexistent.

He is the God of the impossible, as the salvation of each of us testifies.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

__________

The response

The people in the crowd want to make Jesus king in earthly, political terms – but Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. Further, they desire to make him king by force – totally contrary to the humility and docility that is characteristic of true disciples. They are working on their own agenda, not God’s, and thus ironically they share a chief characteristic of Jesus’ opponents.

Only great humility and docility before the Lord and his revelation can protect us from coming up with our own ideas and confusing them with the Lord’s will. Part of God’s grace is seen in his continual correction of our false views.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

__________


__________

Canticle:

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.