With apologies to the rest of today’s passage (don’t miss the miracle of feeding many with just a little bit), just consider these first few words.
Jesus moved on from there…
Remembering that the most recent stories concern the Pharisees’ charge of not following rules and then the shedding of what appears to be ethnocentrism…
Jesus moved on…
Can you think of a moment when Jesus was sentimental? Sure, he valued the law and he took care of his mother from the cross, but we never really find Jesus stuck in the past. His preference is always for the moment with vision for the future. And in the moment, his favor is either upon the fruit of the spirit or plowing a path to make way for it.
This is hard for us. Really hard.
Holding on to the past is not necessarily sinful, but it does seem like an aspect of our humanity that Jesus’ humanity did not absorb.
Jesus moved on…
Matthew 15:29-39
Jesus moved on from there along the shore of the Galilee Sea. He went up a mountain and sat down. Large crowds came to him, including those who were paralyzed, blind, injured, and unable to speak, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he healed them. So the crowd was amazed when they saw those who had been unable to speak talking, and the paralyzed cured, and the injured walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Now Jesus called his disciples and said, “I feel sorry for the crowd because they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry for fear they won’t have enough strength to travel.”
His disciples replied, “Where are we going to get enough food in this wilderness to satisfy such a big crowd?”
Jesus said, “How much bread do you have?”
They responded, “Seven loaves and a few fish.”
He told the crowd to sit on the ground. He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. After he gave thanks, he broke them into pieces and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Everyone ate until they were full. The disciples collected seven baskets full of leftovers. Four thousand men ate, plus women and children. After dismissing the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.
Prayer
God,
Don’t let me cling to the dead. Let me not forget. But let me not dwell among the tombs.
I’m weary of funeral clothes, my eyes are swollen, and my heart is fatigued.
Give me some new duds, eyes with a hopeful vision for the moment, and a heart with the capacity for joy.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.