Food for Thought: Matthew 14:13-21 - Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

¹³Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. ¹⁵When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” ¹⁷They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸And he said, “Bring them here to me.” ¹⁹Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. ²¹And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (NRSV)

JESUS MAFA. Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN

I hate to say it, but summer’s almost over—and for our kids, this means going back to school...

Back to “pencils, books, and teacher’s dirty looks,” and school lunches…

I think every kid complains about the food.  I know I did.  The pizza was spongy and tasteless; the nachos were chewy and the cheese like rubber; the tater-tots were cold; and the meat was unfit for human consumption. 

It’s a lot different today, though.  I eat lunch at David Leech Elementary School when I visit for Adopt-a-Class, and I think the food’s delicious.  What’s also different is the federal school lunch statute called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, spearheaded by former first lady Michelle Obama.  The Law requires each school lunch to contain minimum servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—while limiting sodium, sugar, and fat.  For the lunch servers to do their job, they must cook and serve children food that will end up in the garbage.  And since school lunches are not to exceed 850 calories, a lot of kids are going through the school day hungry—and for one in five children, their school lunch may be the only good meal they get. 

While the intent of this program may have been noble, it highlights what is a major problem in 21^st century America: our bizarre relationship with food.  We spend over 700 billion dollars just eating out, which is more than what we spend on food we prepare at home.  Meanwhile, one third of the food we produce goes to waste—including fifty percent of healthy fruits and vegetables.  Choice, taste, convenience, and appearance matter more than anything when it comes to food.  And what do we have to show for all this, but obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and rotten teeth?

There’s more than enough food for everyone—but not enough love to feed the hungry.

The situation was far different in Jesus’ day, especially in today’s Gospel.  Jesus is ministering among a vast crowd of people in a deserted place.  He knows they’re hungry—and he knows that the disciples’ suggestion to send them away to the surrounding villages to buy food is unrealistic and ridiculous.  But what Jesus’ says to the disciples seems even more ridiculous: “YOU give them something to eat.” 

Can you imagine our church feeding, all at once, the entire combined population of Leechburg borough, Allegheny Township, Gilpin Township, Parks Township, and Hyde Park?  The money and manpower required is unimaginable.  But Jesus pulls it off, starting with twelve disciples, five loaves, and two fish. 

This is a miracle, for certain.  We don’t know how he does it.  All we know is that the disciples give him what little food they have…  He takes the food in hand and gives thanks…  He gives the food to the disciples and they feed the crowds until all are filled. 

Thanksgiving, sharing, and eating—and nothing’s wasted.  This meal embodies what Jesus intends for all of us at his supper—for anyone and everyone to come and be fed to the full with the food and drink of his life and love in bread and wine.  Eat and drink without cost.  No one unworthy of this meal. 

So how can you capture the same spirit in your day-to-day eating?

For me, there’s little I take for granted more than food.  For me, eating is about taste and appearance, choice and convenience.  Food can satisfy your appetite and fill your belly but leave your soul empty and void. 

Yet God acts through the hands of those who grow, harvest, package, prepare, and serve that food, for me.  Every meal is significant because it comes from the hand of the Lord.  Your food is a sign that you matter to God.  God nourishes your body but also your soul when you eat prayerfully, with thanksgiving.

At the same time, hunger is real—and hides in the empty stomachs of neighbors, schoolmates, coworkers, and even those whose labors feed you. When one of God’s children is hungry, Jesus is not silent.  He says, “you give them something to eat.”  And yes, the task of feeding the hungry is enormous.  We don’t have the money or time to feed everyone living within our zip code.  But if Jesus can feed the multitudes with five loaves, two fish, and twelve feeble disciples, he can work miracles through you. 

God’s will is for the hungry to be fed.  When that happens, Jesus’ compassion and God’s faithfulness is revealed.  To feed another person is to affirm their human dignity.  To feed people until they’re full is to declare that they matter.

I’ve heard it said that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.  If ever someone has prepared a special meal or dessert for you, especially during a difficult time, you know this to be true. 

This is why Jesus invites you into new attitude about food, which is not ruled by taste or appearance, choice or convenience…  You can enjoy every last bite of a meal but your soul is empty and void.  Your challenge is to slow down and be thankful for your daily bread and remember that Jesus is breaking that bread with you.  Your challenge is to enter into a more faithful stewardship of your daily bread so that there isn’t so much waste.  It only takes the simplest acts of thanksgiving and generosity for Jesus to perform miracles that not only meet human needs but give us all what we long for—a place at our Lord’s table, where we are fed the bread of heaven and our hearts are at peace.