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.

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)

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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)

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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)

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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

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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.