I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat

 

 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. 

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

 

- Matthew 15:29-39 

 

Yesterday we read that, after an encounter with Pharisees and scribes who came from Jerusalem, Jesus went out from there and departed to the Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is severely demon-possessed."  But He answered her not a word.  And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."  But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"  But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."  Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be to you as you desire."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

 

  Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.  My study Bible comments here that Christ's healing of the multitudes in this passage shows that these Jews actually had less faith than the Canaanite woman in yesterday's reading, above.  According to St. John Chrysostom's commentary, Christ healed the Canaanite woman "with much delay, but these immediately, because she is more faithful than they.  He delays with her to reveal her perseverance, while here He bestows the gift immediately to stop the mouths of the unbelieving Jews."

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.  My study Bible reminds us that this second feeding of a multitude should not be confused with the first (see this reading), as they are two distinct miracles.  There is a variance in the number of loaves that is symbolically significant.  In the first feeding of five thousand, there were five loaves which symbolize the Law (the Torah or Pentateuch, meaning "five books").  Here there are seven.  Seven is a number which symbolizes completeness or fullness, and here, it indicates spiritual perfection, according to my study Bible.  So, in the first feeding, Christ reveals Himself as fulfilling the Law, but here He shows that it is He who grants spiritual perfection.  My study Bible also asks us to note that these crowds had been with Christ for three days, which is the number of days He will rest in the tomb.  It says that participation in Christ's perfection can only come through being united to Christ's death (see Romans 6:3-5).  

In a certain way, we might view today's feeding of four thousand men (and more women and children) as a kind of comment on the expansion of the kingdom of God through Christ's ministry to the Gentiles.  Coming just after the report of Christ's encounter with the Canaanite woman in yesterday's reading, in some sense the symbolism of the numbers which my study Bible commented on affirms the fullness of this ministry going out to the whole world, the continuation and extension of Christ's saving mission toward not only "the lost sheep of the house of Israel," but also to Gentiles.  In this is the fullness commented on by my study Bible, and hidden in the symbolism of the seven loaves.  But there is also the number four thousand.  In the previous feeding miracle, there were not only five loaves, symbolizing the Law, but also five thousand men (and more women and children) fed.  This number five in this case may easily symbolize change:  a great change coming into the world, Christ's ministry bringing something entirely new and unknown in the Incarnation of the Son.  But four thousand has at its root the number four, symbolizing the four directions of the globe, and perhaps more importantly the four arms of the Cross; in this we can see Christ as Son of Man, Savior to the whole world, and not just to the Jews.  It reminds us what a tremendous breakthrough it is in terms of spiritual history and revelation that He is now understood as Messiah by Gentiles, and has extended His grace to Gentiles as well as Jews.  The God of Israel has acted now through grace to gather in all who will come by faith, Gentiles becoming thereby "sons of Abraham" by virtue of faith in the promise to Abraham.   As St. Paul writes, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).  Let us be grateful for the revelation of Christ.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel

Healing the Multitudes.  Fresco, late 20th century.  St. John the Baptist Monastery, Makrinos, Greece

 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

- Matthew 15:29-39

Yesterday we read that, after the criticism of the Pharisees from Jerusalem, Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is severely demon-possessed."  But He answered her not a word.  And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."  But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"  But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."  Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be to you as you desire."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.  My study bible comments that Christ's healing of the multitudes in this passage shows that these Jews had actually less faith than the Canaanite woman in yesterday's reading (above).   St. John Chrysostom, it notes, writes that Christ offered the Canaanite woman the healing she wanted for her daughter "with much delay, but these immediately, because she is more faithful than they.  He delays with her to reveal her perseverance, while here He bestows the gift immediately to stop the mouths of the unbelieving Jews."  The mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing are all prophesied signs of the coming of the Messiah.

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.  This is a second feeding of a multitude, separate and distinct from the first (see this reading).  In the next chapter, Christ will explicitly refer back to both (see 16:8-10).  There are details that distinguish each.   My study bible comments that the variance in the number of loaves is significant.  In the first instance (in the reading from Friday last week), there were five loaves, which symbolized the Law.  Here in today's reading there are seven loaves.   Seven is a number which symbolizes completeness; here it indicates spiritual perfection.  So, in the first feeding miracle, Christ reveals Himself as fulfilling the law, while here He shows that it is He who grants spiritual perfection.  Also, these crowds in today's read had been with Christ for three days.  This is the number of days He will rest in the tomb.  My study bible comments that this symbolic detail reveals that perfection can only come through being united to Christ's death (see Romans 6:3-5). 

The two distinct feeding miracles seem to indicate an evolution in Christ's ministry; that is, a movement from one thing and toward another.  In the earlier feeding, the people found themselves stranded in the "middle of nowhere" so to speak, because they had followed Christ, so desperate were they for His healings.  In today's reading, the signs revealed through Christ's healing of the multitudes are specifically those that distinguish the coming of the Messiah in prophecy.  They are abundant and explicit, clear signs of the ministry of Christ and its significance for Israel.  It's significant that this takes place after Christ's encounter with the Canaanite woman and the great display of her tenacious faith.  With these multitudes, the God of Israel is glorified, even after the criticism of His disciples by the Pharisees from Jerusalem.  But the detail in the number of loaves is significant, as it indicates the future of Christ's ministry, and its going out into all the world, both Jew and Gentile.  The seven large baskets of leftover fragments point not only to the fullness or completeness of ministry, but also of time and the age, an initiation into an apocalyptic meaning, and toward judgment.  This number seven is indicative of the "end point" toward which this ministry is going, and its fullness culminating in the end of the age, and the "end times" which are initiated through Christ's Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension.  It is in this sense of "fullness" that this feeding miracle appears with its symbols at this stage of Christ's ministry, accompanied by the signs of the Messiah and the God of Israel.  In this second feeding miracle are the signs of the Christ in whose "name Gentiles will trust" (12:21, quoting from Isaiah 42).   That is, the God of Israel who will go to the fullness of the earth and the fullness of time.  Even the number 4,000 is symbolic, as it indicates the four sides of the Cross, and the four directions of the entire world.  As the Pharisees from Jerusalem have already begun their attacks upon Jesus and His ministry, we observe that things are ready to evolve and move into the next certain phase, and toward the Cross.  The glorification of the God of Israel by the multitudes will turn toward something quite different, with new meanings and new indications that go beyond the expectations of these crowds.  The Cross itself will become a sign of rebirth, a victory of overcoming the world, and a way of life that means both sacrifice and transcendence.  We should not mistake the fullness of this time in its limited sense for the faith which we as Christ's followers inherit.  It is important to understand that He is heading toward the Cross, and as St. Paul writes in Romans 6:3-5 (cited by my study bible, as noted above), we are meant to participate with Him in that Cross, and our baptism is indicative of the same.  This is a turning point toward something unexpected, which His disciples in no way can imagine at this time.  So should it be in our own lives, when we experience an ending of one thing and a turning toward another.  The Cross, as does our baptism, will always indicate a rebirth, a transcendence, as well as ending and sacrifice.  Let us not be dismayed when our own lives, in faith, take a new turn, and point toward the need for a new birth, and leaving something else behind.  Even in our moments of greatest joy and fulfillment, the Cross remains, as does our promise of baptism, always pointing toward the fullness of our faith, and of time.

I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat

 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

- Matthew 15:29-39

Yesterday we read that, after a confrontation with the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, Jesus went out from there and departed to the Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is severely demon-possessed."  But He answered her not a word.  And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."  But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"  But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."  Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be to you as you desire."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.  My study bible says that the healing of the multitudes here shows that these Jews actually had less faith than the Canaanite woman (in yesterday's reading, above).  According to St. John Chrysostom, Christ healed the woman's daughter "with much delay, but these immediately, because she is more faithful than they.  He delays with her to reveal her perseverance, while here He bestows the gift immediately to stop the mouths of the unbelieving Jews."

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.  This second feeding of the multitude is quite distinct from the first (see this reading).  They are two separate miracles (see 16:8-10, in which Jesus specifically mentions them as such).  My study bible says that the variance in the number of loaves is significant.  In the first such miracle of feeding in the wilderness, there were five loaves, which symbolizes the Law (the first five books of Scripture, the Pentateuch or Torah).  But here, there are seven.  Seven is a number that symbolizes completeness or fullness.  Here it indicates spiritual perfection.  Therefore, in the first feeding in the wilderness, Christ reveals Himself as the fulfillment of the Law.  But here He shows that it is He who grants spiritual perfection.  We must also note that these crowds had been with Christ for three days.  This is significant, as it is the number of days He would rest in the tomb.  Participation in His perfect, my study bible reminds us, can only come through being united to Christ's death (see Romans 6:3-5).

This is twice that Jesus has fulfilled the "type" of the Israelites being fed in the wilderness by God (see Exodus 16).  In the earlier verses in today's reading, we're told, "So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made while, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel."  These words also indicate a fulfillment of the Old Testament, in the words of the prophesy of Isaiah (Isaiah 35:5-6).  These are all a kind of "code" of references to Scripture.  Matthew's Jewish readers will certainly understand.  Even that we are told at the top of today's reading that Jesus went up on the mountain and sat there is a kind of code that refers us not only to Moses but also the sitting position of rabbi or teacher.  These passages affirm to us Christ's mission to Israel, and His fulfillment of prophesies of the Messiah, immediately after the revelation of faith in the Canaanite woman.  But the second feeding miracle also gives us hints of what the fulfillment of this ministry is going to mean -- the New Covenant that will go out not only to Israel but to all the world, and which is given through Him.  The number seven as completion indicates fullness.  That is, it is indicative of eschatological fulfillment, of the telos (meaning "end," as in the fullest point of something, perfection).  In Christ, these "types" have their fulfillment, the whole of Old Testament Scripture and history have their fulfillment.  The second feeding in the wilderness, and the healings that fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, come after the healing of the Canaanite woman's daughter.  They are indicative of the fullness of God's mercy, spreading into all the world.  Jesus tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).  St. Paul writes that Christ is our "wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).  St. Maximus the Confessor writes that "the essence of all the virtues is our Lord, Jesus Christ."  Those words apply in the broadest and most absolute sense; they are statements of a cosmic nature.  His is the fullness of truth regardless of where we come from or what tradition we already know.  Whatever is true, our early Greek fathers understood, serves the Person Who is Truth.  The One who is the Truth becomes the center for all of us, the compass, the measure of all things -- and it is the Truth to whom we turn, regardless of circumstances, to find our way toward Him.  Let us contemplate this message for today, even (and maybe most especially) when we find ourselves in the midst of confusion.

Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?

 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

- Matthew 15:29-39

Yesterday, we read that Jesus went into Gentile territory, to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  A woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is severely demon-possessed."  But He answered her not a word.  And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."  But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"  But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."  Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be to you as you desire."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

  Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.  After healing the daughter of the Canaanite woman, we note that Jesus is still in Gentile territory.  My study bible says that "Jesus immediately bestows healing on other Gentiles as well, repeating what had been done among Jews (9:1-8, 27-33), that the God of Israel might be glorified.  Though Jesus focused on Jews, He taught and healed all who came to Him, thus transcending racial distinctions and prejudices."  The grace that restores people applies everywhere, and the God of Israel is glorified in doing so.

Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."  Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"  Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"  And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish."  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left.  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.  And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.  My study bible notes that this is a second feeding of a crowd told to us in Matthew's Gospel.  (See Friday's reading for the feeding of the five thousand.)  But the difference is that this one includes many Gentiles.  It notes, "Again, this may be connected to the Eucharist.  This is another sign of Jesus' deity, for He created new matter which had not before existed -- an attribute of God alone."

Today's reading takes the God of Israel into Gentile territory, in acts that glorify God through healing and feeding all those faithful who are in need.  The numbers symbolically tell us a story:  seven baskets left over indicates fullness and completion (in the feeding of the five thousand, twelve were left over, one for each apostle to take to the world).  Even the number four thousand is a number that indicates the whole world -- not just Jews but also Gentiles. The number four is a double two, a balance that involves the idea of the other, and also a wide community.  We think also of the four corners of the world, four directions, and especially the four corners of the Cross.  Through the opening of the faith of the Canaanite woman, it's as if an entire new chapter of ministry has opened to include the world of the "others" -- the Gentiles.  The God of Israel becomes glorified, therefore, through acts of grace and faith among both Jews and Gentiles.  And this is the great revelation of Jesus' ministry.  In this feeding, there's a sense of infinitude; it's no mistake that the symbolic food is fish, as in the expression "all the fish in the sea" -- a symbol of vast abundance and multiplication.  The bread, of course, suggests the Eucharist, but also our daily bread -- the bread that not only supplies our physical needs but also the daily bread we need for spiritual sustenance.   And of course, Christ who is the Bread of Life.  The great good news of Matthew's Gospel, written as it is for a Jewish audience, is that there is nowhere, no people, among whom the God of Israel is not glorified through the ministry of Christ.  This abundance is truly unlimited and knows no bounds.  It is in the nature of this Word, this bread, this holiness, to expand, to grow in abundance.  It cannot be contained by our normal limitations, even our understanding of group and community.  Matthew's Gospel urges us to see this as a good thing, this taking God's glory to all the world, and manifesting holiness anywhere that is possible.  If we apply the metaphor to our own lives then what we have is a sense in which we ask ourselves where our faith needs to expand.  That is, what parts of our lives do we want to open up to God?  Prayer is a way of inviting God in, so that God's glory may manifest wherever we think we need healing or sustenance.  Each human being is a candidate for this kingdom, and there is no part of our lives God will not accept as a gift, particularly those places we consider the most painful or hidden or maimed or imperfect or "other."  These, in some way in the great paradox of God's love, are the greatest gifts of all.  What is it you lay down at Jesus' feet?