August 7, 2023 — Psalm 103

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us  according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.” (Verses 1-14)

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

We hear these words in a variety of forms throughout the Old Testament — in Nehemiah 9:31; Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:5; Psalm 86:15; Joel 2:13. It is repeated again and again — so there must be something to this teaching.

“Hesedness”, in Jewish theology is used to describe G-d’s love for the Children of Israel and in Jewish ethics it is used for love or charity between people. The word “Hesed” or “Chesed” is also considered the foundation of many religious commandments practiced by traditional Jews, especially interpersonal commandments. Hesed, or “Steadfast love” is, of course, the attribute and activity of the LORD celebrated in the psalms — it is the LORD’s essential goodness beyond all others.

Steadfast love is both the character of G-d and the foundation of all G-d’s actions. One can attempt to define it as helpfulness toward those with whom one stands in relationship. To do hesed is to do the best in and make the best of a relationship. The Lord’s steadfast love, says the Psalm, is so abounding that it fills all time and space. It is as great as the heavens are high above the earth; it is lasting as everlasting lasts. So everyday we should try to offer each other love based on the “Chesedness” of our Lord.

Prayer

Compassionate Father, you forgive all our sins and put them far from us. As an eagle to her young, you nourish and renew us with your tender love. Sustain us each day of our mortal life, that we may seek your healing for all who are in need, and bring us at last with saints and angels to bless and praise you forever; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Pastor Dave

August 6, 2023 — Pentecost +10A; Matthew 14:13-21

Now 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. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When 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.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then 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. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Where do you go when you want to get away from everyone and everything? Do you have a deserted island you like to retreat? The text tells us Jesus had heard about the death of John the Baptist — a beheading at the whim of Herod Antipas — and as such, he was looking to withdraw to a deserted place — but he couldn’t have gone too far. He most likely wouldn’t really be able to escape the rule and power of Herod — and he couldn’t outpace the crowd who followed on foot and anticipated where Jesus’ boat would land — even though it was a deserted place. But it is clear, Jesus and his disciples needed some time off.

Matthew the Gospel writer put together his Gospel with divine revelation — and his own ability to write a narrative. He puts many parables that Jesus taught together in sections of his Gospel — he does the same with his miracles. The placement of these stories and teachings seem to be placed to move the Gospel story along. For example, in chapters 8 and 9 of his Gospel, Matthew places about 10 miracles of Jesus which seem to highlight discipleship and its meaning for his followers, especially the issue of trust.

So, for the context of the miracle story today, the disciples do not sound so trusting. We know they have been on this journey with Jesus — escaping to this “out of the way” place since the death of John the Baptist. And in the midst of being tired and afraid, they hoped for some time alone. But this was not to be the case. Jesus needed some time alone as well, but the crowd that follows him takes that opportunity away from him. Does Jesus send them away? Of course not. Instead, he turns his focus off himself and his disciples and turns to curing the sick among them. The disciples must have been feeling hurt and disappointed.

And then, to seemingly pour salt into their “injured egos” — Jesus asks them to solve an unsolvable problem. There are about 10000+ people in need of food, and Jesus tells them to find something to eat for all of them, and to do it within the hour, in a deserted place, before it gets dark. His disciples are tired — they are weary — they are hurting and hungry — and now they must be angry as well.

What is Jesus doing? We ask that question, at least I have asked that question a lot lately. What is Jesus doing in the world, in our country, in the church, in our lives…..right now? G-d is active every day in the world, in our lives, in places we expect and often in places we cannot ever expect. I believe that. I also believe G-d can do the miraculous — but not only the miraculous — G-d has the power to do quite a lot, with just a little. If we take the accounting of the miracle as if we are hearing it from a 1^st century reporter — well then we are not necessarily hearing it in the same way the community of Matthew’s Gospel heard the story. How could we. In other words, we should hear this story not as “G-d can feed the entire world if G-d wants to”. Instead we should hear “Through Jesus, all people can be fed the bread of life — Jews, Gentiles, everyone.”

G-d looks to us and says “You give them something to eat.” When we accept that challenge, when we move forward in obedience and trust, well, then G-d really begins to act — and miracles, both great and small, will happen as well.

Pastor Dave