July 2021

The Good News here, is that Jesus is the son of God, and that that’s weird. The miracles today aren’t for setting us up to get what we want or to be shamed or to be disappointed. The gospels, all four of them are about Jesus the God man who initiates the heavenly banquet where rather than struggling for a mouthful of bread feeds everyone until they’re full.

Eventually, though Jesus dismisses the crowd and sends the disciples to rest. He sends them across the lake to rest together and to find time for isolation. Jesus himself goes off to pray by himself. Rested and renewed, when Jesus and the apostles get out of the boat they get right back to work.

Just as John preached and was offered up, Jesus preached and was handed over, so too does Jesus ask us to follow: to preach, knowing that we may be handed over. We are proclaiming, along with Jesus that God’s reign is at hand with our sock box and pantry whose installation details are being worked out. The sharing that those inspire and invite are following Jesus on his way.

Paul, having been a disciple for a while now isn’t told to dig deep and find the answer within. “My grace is sufficient for you.” There is no platitude about finding the good or looking for the silver lining. Jesus doesn’t advise Paul that his suffering will add to his dignity. “My grace is sufficient for you.”