Sunday, June 15, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Matthew 15:29–39

After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. (NRSV)

Reflection

Jesus had healed one after another. The crowds were overjoyed and praised God. But apparently they were also hungry.

The disciples were anxious, because they lacked the resources to feed such a crowd. “Where are we to get enough bread to feed so many,” they asked.

That’s the way it is with us. The needs of the world always outpace our resources, our imagination, our strength. When we face the brokenness of the world, it is always more than we can repair.

But Jesus asked, “What do you have?” They told him. A few fish. Jesus responded, “Let’s use that.” If I understand the text, Jesus gave them a chance to do the good that they could do, to use the resources they had, to share the compassion they felt.

That is the way it is with faith. There is so much that we cannot repair, but ours is not to despair. Just do the good that is yours to do, and trust that it counts. Trust that it makes a difference. Sometimes it may even be miraculous.

Prayer

God of grace, your love calls us by name and never lets us go. May your love inspire us always to do the good that is ours to do. Amen.  

Written by Tom Are Jr., Interim Pastor

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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