And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

 

- Matthew 14:13-21 

 

Yesterday we read that at that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  When Jesus heard it refers to the fact that Jesus has heard that Herod has taken note of Jesus and His ministry with its healings and exorcisms, and that Herod fears Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead (see yesterday's reading above).  He goes to a deserted place to avoid the power and paranoid scrutiny of Herod.

 

 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.  My study Bible has several comments upon this passage.  First, it's noted that this miracle is reported by all four evangelists; it shows Jesus feeding a great multitude of His people as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  According to patristic sources, this feeding is an image of the Eucharist; this idea is made clear in John 6.   Further along in St. Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 15:32-39), there is another feeding miracle in which Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish.  While some modern scholars wish to say these are the same story, my study Bible comments that the witness of the gospel is clear that they are two distinct accounts.  Indeed, Christ explicitly refers to both of them as separate incidents (Matthew 16:8-10).  That He is moved with compassion is used frequently with Jesus (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13), which shows that (in contrast to Herod, by way of note), the Lord's power is extended to those who suffer.  There is yet another spiritual interpretation according to patristic writers, that teaches that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and thereby feed the universe.  The two fish are representative of the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  It's also noted that the apostles gather the leftovers, which shows that the teachings which the faithful are unable to grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  Additionally, we note that Jesus, upon taking the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven and blessed the loaves.  My study Bible comments that He shows us that we should never eat without first giving thanks to God.  The terminology used in today's passage points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26), and it leads to a eucharistic interpretation of the miracle.  Just as the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds the Eucharist to His flock through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.  

 

Today's reading invites us to consider Christ's compassion. Overall, we know that Jesus has come into the world as Incarnate Son in order to be with us (Matthew 1:23).  Note how that verse in St. Matthew's first chapter makes it clear that Christ's Incarnation is in fulfillment of Scripture, something devoutly awaited.  In St. John's Gospel Jesus declares to Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17).  So it is out of love, and compassion (for God to be with us) that Jesus has been sent into the world, to be one of us.  In today's reading, the hospitality of the Lord is on full display for all of these who have followed Him into the wilderness, a deserted place.  He doesn't know these people, but they know Him (or at any rate, they have heard about Him).  They are the crowds, the multitudes, who follow Him even as He seeks to escape the eye of Herod, who now fears Him, for Herod thinks He is St. John the Baptist risen from the dead (see yesterday's reading, above).  In today's reading, we note that we are told that He first healed their sick.  But as it continued into the evening, and they had nothing to eat, the disciples reminded Him they should send the people away.  But Jesus doesn't want to do that; He wants them to remain.  Moreover, He wants His disciples to feed them.  He says, "You give them something to eat."  Too often when we consider the Eucharist, we are unaware in a modern context that sacrifice was always a part of a communal meal.  In this case, the Lord Himself wishes a communal meal, but He is the One who will feed the people, and through His disciples.  He sends them to find food, and whatever they can bring to Him, He will make of it a proper meal.  This should be a proper metaphor for all kinds of solutions to problems in our lives.  It is part and parcel of faith to do so, and to wait upon the Lord, to trust and make the best of what we're given, guided by prayer.  Note that Jesus begins with the meager fare, and blesses it.  It's in the breaking of the bread that the miraculous happens, a multiplication of what is.  These people who have desperately followed Him are elsewhere said to be "like sheep without a shepherd" (Mark 6:34).  And, of course, Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18).  But what we observe of Christ, who came into the world as one of us, to be with us, is that His hand is always extended.  These people follow Him, and He simply is not able to be alone.  But they are welcome, and He finds occasion to institute what will become the Eucharist, to share Himself as completely as possible, even with the multitudes.  In all of this we're given the nature of our God, and the expansiveness of God's compassion for us.  Clearly it is extended to all, but realized through faith.  It is said that in the monasteries, and from the times of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, hospitality was the most highly regarded priority.  Even prayers were interrupted to open the door to a knock.  Jesus shows Himself as fulfillment even from Abraham, who "entertained strangers unawares" (Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 18); of course, one of those "strangers" was the Lord.  Christ's hospitality extends to all of us all the time; let us be aware of our response and reception of it.

 

 

 

 

 

Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple

 

 Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.  And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  

 

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 

"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 

- Luke 14:25–35 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus was invited to dine in the home of a ruler of the Pharisees, teaching about humility, and addressing the guests in a parable.  Yesterday, we read that He continued to teach him who invited Him, addressing hosts.  He said, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

 

  Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."  My study Bible comments that this command to hate one's kindred and one's own life also isn't to be taken literally.  Instead, we are to hate the way our relationships with others can hinder our total dedication to the Kingdom of God -- which takes precedence even over family ties. 

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."  This is a repetition of a similar teaching found at Luke 9:23.  Perhaps, now that great multitudes went with Him, the teaching is a bit more emphatic:  one must bear one's cross and come after Christ -- or one cannot be His disciple.  My study Bible comments on the earlier passage that each person must take up one's own cross.  It notes that the burden in this world is different for each person, and each has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for one's own salvation and the salvation of those around oneself.  In that earlier passage, Jesus emphasizes that this must be done daily.  In other words, commitment to Christ isn't simply a one-time event or proclamation.  It is the continual practice of faith and obedience, even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world. 

 

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."  With reference to this parable of building a tower, my study Bible cites St. Paul's letter at 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, in which St. Paul speaks of himself as a master builder who lays a foundation which another builds upon.  In that passage, St. Paul speaks about his fellow workers, and how they will build upon that foundation appropriately   This passage in today's reading shows us that St. Paul follows Christ in so teaching, for Christ's teaching here once again enforces the kind of loyalty He commands as required for discipleship.  Jesus Himself forsakes all he has, and so he asks of us as well.  As God's fellow workers, my study Bible notes of St. Paul's passage, we cooperate with the Lord to do His will.  As He so often tells parables of discipleship using the illustration of servants, we consider that He is the Lord, and we are His servants who are called to participate obediently in His work.  

 

 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Here is another emphatic teaching on the requirement for discipleship.  This saying is also found in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus couples this teaching on the image of disciples as salt, and also as light (see Matthew 5:13-16).  My study Bible comments that because of its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, salt had both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty.  As the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), my study Bible says, Christians are preservers of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  

So Jesus emphasizes covenant with His comparison of disciples to salt.  This is made clear by my study Bible's exposition on salt in the commentary on the reference in the Sermon on the Mount, as referenced above.  This "fixative" and preserving power of salt was ubiquitous in the ancient world, before refrigeration was possible; many foods were treated with salt to prevent the growth of bacteria so they would remain fit for consumption and nourishment.   This preserving power is referenced as a kind of binding, like taking an oath, with a long history in Israel, as my study Bible says, of association with covenant and friendship.  So Christ is emphasizing the nature of discipleship, not simply as something which is good and helpful, but which is necessary for life, for the thriving of the world.  If we wonder how salt can lose its flavor, the ancient world's salt crystals indeed could leach sodium chloride through exposure to water and thus lose its saltiness.  But to really get the "flavor" of today's reading and Jesus' words, we have to take it as a whole, and to recognize that what He's calling for is a rigorous determination on the part of His disciples, to be ready -- like good soldiers or a king going out to meet an enemy, or a man preparing to build a tower -- to commit to seeing the project all the way through, no matter what it may ask of them.  It is in this spirit that Jesus teaches us what it might mean to carry a cross.  In this season of elections here in the United States of America, many comment here and around the world regarding the phenomenon of both friendships and family relations being broken and severed over political affiliation or opinion.  In a modern democracy we are ostensibly aware of many opinions, and also conditioned to accept such differences as a matter of norm in our societies.  But if these common differences are now causing such disruption in relationships, one only need to consider for a moment what something as momentous and deep as one's commitment of the soul to Christ can carry in terms of our own loyalty, and others' response to that commitment.  A deep and dedicated devotion to Christ may ask of us to make commitments that offend others whom we love, differing on matters of conscience, or even opinions about Christ Himself.  As we know, Jesus sets the pattern that He will voluntarily go to the Cross, to His Crucifixion, in obedience to the Father's will for Him.  This voluntary sacrifice remains a scandal for some, perplexing for many, and a point of contention in terms of its effects and power among different denominations and theological perspectives.  But one thing is clear, if Christ Himself was asked to undertake this Cross and this sacrifice for all of us, then none of us can refuse a cross of our own.  In our modern affluent societies, it might be offensive in and of itself to some to suggest that sacrifice is something we will all encounter as disciples of Christ, but nonetheless it remains truth and a part of Scripture.  We might separate from a friend (or even relatives) because we don't like the practices of gossip or scapegoating we consistently find.  Perhaps our criticism of such habits alone is enough to create rage in others.  What we perceive as unjust or unfair is another possible point of difference that can spark separation, and the Cross that Christ undertook has everything to do with injustice, in which the innocent suffer.  We ourselves may undertake that role, as did Christ, and suffer for telling the truth when others would prefer convenient and less disruptive lies instead.  Whatever way our cross comes to us, we can't ignore Jesus' emphatic and repeated teachings here.  In Matthew's Gospel, when Jesus sends out the apostles on their first mission, He speaks about this division in families, adding, "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake."  He reminds them that "a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!" (see Matthew 10:16-25).  If disciples remain today as "sheep among wolves" then how are we to avoid conflict?  Jesus' call for believers to be like salt that does not lose its flavor is a call to steadfastness even in the face of what we might lose that we hold precious for the sake of the gospel.  Let us consider how this mission today might include our own cross, and what we put first in life. 

 

Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him

 

 Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. 

 

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  

 

Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you  want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!" 

 

 - Matthew 27:11-23 

 

 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.  And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  And they said, "What is that to us?  You see to it!"  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.  But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."  And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who as priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."

 

 Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.  My study Bible comments that the chief priests hide their real charge against Jesus -- the claim of equality with God -- because this would not persuade the governor to sentence Him to death.  Instead they devise to present a charge of treason, that Jesus called Himself the King of the Jews.  Such a crime would carry the death penalty, as it constitutes a challenge to Roman rule.

 

 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  My study Bible comments that Jesus is the true Son of the Father, yet the name Barabbas means "son of the father."  Ironically, these crowds have to choose between one Son of the Father and the other.   My study Bible says that as they influence the crowds to choose Barabbas, these chief priests indicate to which father they belong -- the devil (John 8:44).  

Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you  want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"   Here Pilate tries three times to release Jesus, but the chief priests and elders persuade the people that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus, thus refuting Pilate's three attempts.  In the end, my study Bible says, they are demanding the release of a rebel like themselves.

 

 Pilate tries three times to save Jesus, because it's the time of the Passover Feast, and so the occasion when the Romans would give amnesty to one of the prisoners of the Empire, giving them back to the community, so to speak.  Pilate, being an outsider to the politics of the temple, hasn't really any problem with Jesus.  Jesus is not like Barabbas, who was likely what may be called a brigand, one involved in insurrection against the Romans.  Barabbas is a kind of known quantity to Pilate, the type of man seen as a criminal because he was involved in some sort of violence against the state.  State power and order were the greatest priorities for the Romans, and so certainly for this Roman governor keeping those like Barabbas under control would have been an obvious concern.  But Jesus is another matter altogether.  Well-spoken, and meek (or gentle), Jesus is someone that a Roman official could possibly regard as possessing some kind of virtue.  Barabbas, by contrast, is here called a notorious prisoner.  Moreover, Pilate's own wife confesses to him that he'd best beware of how he treats Jesus, even sending Pilate a message:  "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."   Among the peoples and cultures of the Mediterranean still today, and certainly then, portents and omens such as dreams have some mysterious significance.  One could possibly ignore them and regret it.  In a world such as Pilate lived, confidence and trust would be in short supply; perhaps only a wife could be trusted to confide such a message honestly (her fate, after all, rested with him as well).  But the Gospels tell us that Pilate honestly has found nothing wrong or criminal in Jesus ("Why, what evil has He done?").  Moreover, he knows that these religious leaders who want Jesus executed seem, apparently to Pilate, to want to do so out of envy.  Perhaps Jesus is a type of leader in the society that might be easier to deal with than those who favor brigands like Barabbas.  At any rate, whatever Pilate is thinking, it's his job to maintain the peace and order such as it was, or his own career would certainly be on the line.  So for all these various reasons, Pilate tries to free Jesus.  But the religious leaders are experts in coercion and manipulation, and they have determined that they are to be rid of Jesus, who seems to challenge their authority and has favor with the people.   He wants to change things, and especially He challenges the ways that they do things.  He's a threat to them in this sense.  Pilate fails to persuade the crowds, and perhaps he sees there is no sense arguing with the religious leaders; he's not going to change their minds.  But instead of asserting his authority -- which he could do as the power rests with him in these circumstances -- he won't challenge them anymore.  Perhaps he thinks he's got enough trouble on his hands with insurrections as it is; perhaps he thinks it's canny to do some horse trading and give in to the religious leadership here to stay on good terms as their cooperation is necessary to Rome.   At any rate, it is here where our reading cuts off for today, and so we must wait until Monday's reading to see the decision we know will happen, and Pilate's manner of delivering it.  But let us consider Pilate's judicial decision here as one that weighs on a scale of balance:  on one side is the Jewish nation as represented by the religious leaders and the crowd's demand for Barabbas, and on the other side is Jesus in whom Pilate can find no evil.  How would we see the balance on this scale if we were Pilate?  We know it's heavily tipped in favor of Christ, for we know His substance and who He is.  But Pilate has things he knows about these leaders such as their envy, he knows of his wife's troubling dream, he knows that rationally he has found no evil that Christ has done.  We each might find ourselves at some time in Pilate's seat, needing to make a decision between forces that are highly coercive -- people whose cooperation we might need, and the truth that seems to present itself before us.  Think about Pilate the next time such a circumstance presents itself; for we don't know who might be standing before us.  It might be one of "the least of these," a brother of Jesus.

And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

 

- Matthew 14:13-21 

 

Yesterday we read that about that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philips's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  

 

  When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When Jesus heard it is a reference to the knowledge coming to Jesus that now Herod the tetrarch (Herod Antipas) has begun to fear Him:  Herod believes that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead, and this is the explanation for Jesus' power to heal and cast out demons.  (See yesterday's reading, above.)  Now it is the power of Rome that has taken notice of Him, a more serious and deadly power than even that of the Jewish religious authorities, and it is for this reason Jesus departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.   But although Jesus has withdrawn to a deserted place to avoid public scrutiny, He cannot be hidden.  The multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  And so, as often happens at significant turning points in Jesus' ministry, He is moved with compassion for these crowds.  "Moved with compassion," my study Bible notes, is used frequently concerning the Lord (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13).  It notes that this shows that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  

  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.  This miracle is reported by all four evangelists.  Here Christ feeds the great multitude of His people just as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  In patristic commentary, this is seen as an image of the Eucharist, an idea which is also made clear in John 6.  Also in patristic literature there is a spiritual interpretation given regarding the five loaves, stating that they indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which have been broken open in Christ and thereby feed the whole universe.  In this understanding, the two fish are said to represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  The gathering by the apostles of twelve baskets full of fragments that remained shows that the teachings which the faithful cannot grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

 

Let us take a closer look here at the specificity of the language:  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, Christ blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  Besides teaching us that we should not eat without first giving thanks to God (the meaning of the word Eucharist is to give thanks), the terminology points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26).  My study Bible comments that just as the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds the Eucharist to His flock through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.  Perhaps for us this points to something greater to notice about Christ's "signs" or miracles, also called "mighty works" in St. Matthew's Gospel.  They all point to something greater than themselves.  And in this case of the Eucharistic significance of the actions and words used to describe what happens here, this miraculous breakthrough of yet another new revelation in Christ's ministry, another significant turning point, is something tied to that which will be left for us for us all time.  This is not simply a "one-time" incident, but in the Eucharist it will be repeated over and over again through time until the end of the age.  Thereby, we should read this miracle or sign as not only connecting Christ with the Lord of the Old Testament, who fed the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, but links us all in succession within the Church to come -- for all time and from that time forward.  In these connections we observe once again how time and distance are no obstacles to the effectiveness of Christ's miracles and His power.  For each of these things ties even us into them in the Eucharist.  We are fed as the ancient Israelites were fed; our Lord is the same Lord of the Old Testament and is also present to us in Jesus Christ, and in this feeding miracle in the wilderness.  If we view the events in the Bible as simply things that happened two millennia ago, and struggle to think of how that has something to do with us, then we are looking at things the wrong way.  We fail to grasp the bigger picture that is at work here.  In Christ these things stretch back and forth to the ancient and the new, and they are renewed even in us with each new Eucharist.  For none of the elements of Christ's life and ministry, nor the gift He gives of Himself in the Eucharist, is ever lost or gone missing.  They are always present because He is always present.  Let us eat and be filled, remembering even the twelve baskets of fragments left over for the Twelve who would go out to the world bearing His gospel.  For all is present to us still, each day.  It is the gift of His compassion for us all.  We take it in remembrance of Him, until His return.

 

 

 

 

We have here only five loaves and two fish

 

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 

- Matthew 14:13-21 

 

Yesterday we read that, at that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

 

When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.   Jesus withdraws to a deserted place by Himself because He has just heard that Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  This is what we've just read in yesterday's lectionary reading (above), and this attention and fear from Herod is what Jesus is responding to.  He withdraws to a place away from the scrutiny of the court and Herod and Roman power.   It's important to observe that Jesus avoids open conflict with the authorities before it is the time for His Passion, also referred to as His hour (see John 7:30, 8:20, 12:27, 13:1, 17:1).

 

 But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  By this time, Christ has difficulty withdrawing from the public, and so now multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  Jesus' first response is to be moved with compassion for them when He sees them, and so He healed their sick.  

When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  Here necessity intervenes once again.  These multitudes have already followed Him to this deserted place.  Perhaps Jesus feels responsible for them being there, and we already know that He has compassion for them.  But here is something interesting; Jesus teaches the disciples also to take on some of this responsibility for the people when He says, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat." "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat." 

And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves too the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. My study Bible points out that this miracle is reported by all four evangelists, and it shows Jesus feeding a great multitude of His people even as He fed the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16).  In patristic commentary, my study Bible reports, this is seen as an image of the Eucharist -- which is made very clear in John 6.  There is another feeding miracle reported in the following chapter of St. Matthew's gospel (Matthew 15:32-39), in which Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish, which some theorize might be the same story.  But the explicit appearance of different numbers in the crowds and the food elements, and also the witness of the gospel, show that they are two different miracles, as Christ will refer to them separately as two events (Matthew 16:8-10).   There is a spiritual interpretation given in patristic teaching that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and therefore feed the universe.  The two fish represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  Moreover, the gathering of the leftovers by the apostles shows that the teachings the faithful are unable to grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

My study Bible also points out that the phrase moved with compassion is used frequently concerning the Lord (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13).  It comments that what this shows is that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  And so, we can see from today's reading that Jesus teaches His disciples to do the same.  While He is the One who uses His power to multiply the five loaves and the two fish, He's training His disciples also to use their own capacities on behalf of those who suffer.  He also shows this by example when He begins His expression of compassion by healing the sick brought to Him by the crowd.  It seems to be an important teaching that, when we are serving the Lord in any capacity in our lives, and perhaps particularly when we are called to compassion, we may rely upon the Lord by seeking whatever is at hand to rise to the task.  This is made clear by implication here that the Lord will take what we have and help to prepare and to provide for its use to help and to heal.  This kind of nourishment is material and assuages human hunger, but in this example in today's reading we can also see a metaphorical image of what to feed people and serve their needs on all kinds of levels, for there are many types of needs that human beings have.  It's already been pointed out that in the loaves and the two fish is seen the Scriptures which are another way to nourish people and to give them what they truly need, for our spiritual needs also must be recognized if we're to be wholly nurtured.  It's also important to note that when Christ acts, when the Lord's power and authority are on display, it is always in order to give and not to take.  That is, the creative power of the Lord and Christ's authority are exercised in giving what the world truly needs (even when it's not what the world wants, as we'll see at His rejection by the nation, and as we read in the story of His rejection in His hometown of Nazareth in Wednesday's reading).   This kind of majestic dignity and glory is one of true abundance, for God always has more to give us.  As those who would serve God, it is important to remember this when we feel tired or exhausted, and when we're called to serve in our own ways of nourishing and feeding the world.  This is the way that God's creativity works.  It is always expansive, even if that is in teaching us ways to feed and nurture ourselves so that we may also become creative in the same ways our Lord shows His use of power and authority.  God sets in order and fills with life, as is seen right from the beginning of the Bible.  Here Jesus first sets the people in order, and provides with abundance so that there is life abundantly (John 10:10), a way to show right relatedness and also the glory of God.  In today's feeding are the elements that prefigure the Eucharist, our holy food and drink that nurtures us with His Body and Blood, making us a people of faith and communion in Him.  Let us take these teachings and allow them to shape who we are as well, just as the disciples do. 

 

 

 

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted

 

 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  And they went into a house.

 

- Mark 3:7-19 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened that Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"  But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:  how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"  And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."  Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"  But they kept silent.  And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

 

 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.   My study Bible comments here that Jesus withdrew both because the Pharisees were planning to destroy Him (although it was not time for Him to die) and also in order to preach in other places.  Let us note that at this time, although it is still early in Mark's Gospel, a great multitude follows Jesus not just from Galilee, but also from the other regions of Israel, and even from Tyre and Sidon, which are Gentile regions.   His fame is similar to what we might call a rock or movie star today, which we read in the description that He must have a small boat ready, lest they should crush Him.  People with afflictions crowd around Him to touch Him, because He is known for the healings He has done.  Note also that the unclean spirits continue to identify Christ as the Son of God, for they know His power.  He warns them they should not make Him known, as it is not the appropriate time for His revelation as Son in His ministry, for all kinds of reasons.  He has sought to withdraw because of the increasing hostility of the religious leaders, who have now gone even to the Herodians to plot against Him in Galilee.  People popularly expect a political Messiah to deliver them from Roman rule, and He desires a kind of faith that does not come solely from the signs He does.

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  And they went into a house.  My study Bible comments that disciples and apostles are often used interchangeably for these twelve.   The Greek word for disciple literally means "learner" (those who will be with Him), and apostle means "one sent out" (He will send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons).  We are told that Jesus gave the name Peter to Simon, and also that James and John Zebedee He has given the name Boanerges, meaning "Sons of Thunder."   If we look closely, we also observe that Levi the tax collector, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14) is now called Matthew in this list.  My study Bible notes that the names of the Twelve are not the same in all lists, as many people had more than one name.   In Matthew 10:2-4, the names are given in pairs, suggesting who may have traveled together on their first missionary journey, as Mark will report they were sent out two by two (Mark 6:7).  

In today's reading, we begin to understand how Jesus prepares His ministry, how it unfolds in seeming succession, and step by step.  Now that multitudes are following Him,  He chooses the apostles who will be sent out; they are the Twelve who will also "be with Him," especially to learn from Him and be prepared for their future roles in the Church.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells them that they are not to go to the Gentiles, but to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:5-6), and so we may also assume these multitudes who follow Him from all around the region of Israel and even Tyre and Sidon are Jews from all of these places.  This is the foundation He must lay for what is to come, for the proper understanding of who He is and what His ministry must be about.  As He went up on the mountain to appoint these Twelve, we are also to understand the significance that this plan for an unfolding ministry, for creating a foundation for the future, is not made by Jesus "alone" as human being, but that everything is done in cooperation with God the Father.  This place of the mountaintop we can thereby associate with the change in the disciples.  Their new names given by Jesus may indicate for us the transformation happening so that they may now become apostles, and be prepared as those who will be sent out and become the pillars of the future Church.  In the renaming and transformation of these disciples, and on this "mountaintop" occasion, we also must by extension apply this understanding to all that is connected with our faith and our lives as those who are called "faithful."  As Jesus shows by His example at each turning point in His ministry, in the times when He is up on the mountain such as in today's reading, or departing to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35), we find that nothing happens without the involvement of reaching out to God and the communion of faith.  Even in appointing the Twelve, we don't know what considerations went into choosing them, but we do know that nothing happens without the involvement of faith and communion with God.  The names Christ gives to them express the change in them due the power of God.  This would even apply to choosing Judas (John 6:70).  Everything relies on a communion which does not simply include our fellow members in the Church, or our loved ones, but a whole communion of saints defined by all who live to God, with this divine reality at its center and acting as that which draws us together and gives shape to our lives.  This is true, also, of negotiating the evil in our world, and our own temptations and desires and needs for change.  So let us consider all things together and not leave out what we need to guide us, as we are shaped by our faith in Christ.

 

 

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God

Virgin Mary praying to Christ, detail from Deesis mosaic, Aghia Sophia cathedral, Constintinople, Byzantine Empire (present day Istanbul, Turkey), 13th century

 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:  Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.  

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:  

"Blessed are you poor, 

For yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now, 

For you shall be filled.  

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man's sake.  

Rejoice in that day leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

 For you shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets."

 

- Luke 6:12–26 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that Jesus went through the grainfields.  And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands.  And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"  But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:  how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?"  And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught.  And a man was there whose right hand was withered.  So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.  But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here."  And he arose and stood.  Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing:  Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"  And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

 

  Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: . . .  My study cites St. Ambrose of Milan, who comments that Jesus, being the Son of God, does not pray as if to obtain grace or revelation from God the Father.  Rather, as the Son of Man, He prays as the Advocate for humanity (see 1 John 2:1).  It notes that, according to Theophylact, Jesus spent all night in prayer before selecting the twelve apostles to teach us that before choosing a candidate for any spiritual ministry, we should pray that God will reveal to us the one suited for the task.  Note that these men were already disciples of Christ, but now these twelve will also be named apostles.  Disciple is from a Greek word that means "learner," and apostle means "one sent out."

 

 . . . Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.  My study Bible comments that the names of the Twelve are not the same in all lists, as many people had more than one name.   Both here and in Matthew 10:1-4, the names are given in pairs.  Mark's Gospel reports that the apostles were sent out two by two on their first missionary journey (Mark 6:7), so perhaps the grouping represents who traveled together.

 

 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.  And they were healed.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.  The text tells us that Jesus stood on a level place to deliver the sermon He's about to give.  What follows is called the Sermon on the Plain, and is similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 - 7, although it is not as extensive.  Let us note the large crowd, both of His disciples and also a great multitude of people from all regions of Israel, and even the Gentile territories of Tyre and Sidon -- and that power went out from Him.  My study Bible comments that Jesus repeated many of His teaching over a period of three years (John reports three Passover feasts attended by Jesus between His Baptism and Passion).

 

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:  "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."   As in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins by declaring Beatitudes (supreme blessedness).   To be blessed in this context, my study Bible says, indicates heavenly, spiritual exaltation, rather than earthly happiness or prosperity.  In Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' first Beatitude declares, "Blessed are the poor in spirit. . ."  In Hebrew, my study Bible explains, poor means both the materially poor and also the faithful among God's people.  To be poor in spirit is to have the heart of the poor, the same attitude as the poor, and total dependence upon God.

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled."  Again, turning to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness."  My study Bible says that these see the presence of God and God's Kingdom as the most important thing in life.  They have a desperate craving for what is right before God, comparable to a starving person's craving for food.

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."  Those who weep are akin to those who mourn in Matthew 5:4.  They sorrow over the sufferings of this life (Matthew 9:23), the sufferings of others (John 11:35), the state of the world (Luke 19:41), and their own sins (Luke 7:36-38).  All of these will laugh in the sense that they will be joyful through the power of God both in this world and in the age to come.  My study Bible comments that holy sorrow is part of the path of repentance, conversion, and virtuous action  (to weep is frequently understood in this context as well), and is in effect the firstfruit of infinite joy.  This weeping or sorrow is distinguished from ungodly sorrow, which is a sadness that leads to despair (see 2 Corinthians 7:10).

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.  Rejoice in that day leap for joy!  For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."  Those who suffer persecution for Christ's sake walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs, my study Bible notes.  See Acts 5:40-41.

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets."   My study Bible notes that Luke reports for "woes" which are not found in Matthew's Sermon on the Mount.  Woe, it says, is an indication not merely of sorrow, but of unspeakable destruction (Isaiah 5:18-24; Amos 5:18-19; Revelation 12:12).  According to St. Cyril of Alexandria, those who prize the vices listed here are liable to the "utmost misery"; but find hope when they sacrifice their earthly blessings in showing mercy to others.

There is one point in today's commentary from my study Bible that leaps out at me, and that is this final citing from the writing of St. Cyril of Alexandria.  He comments that those who prize the vices listed in Christ's Woes are liable to the "utmost misery"; but find hope when they sacrifice their earthly blessings in showing mercy to others.  This seems to me to be exceedingly illuminating.  That is because St. Cyril cites a way in which what we do in this world, how we use our worldly goods (in which I would include time, our health, our initiative, etc.) as a way of transfiguring our lives.  Even those consigned by Christ to this "woe" are capable of expressing mercy through whatever resources they have.  This is clearly what it means to repent, to "change one's mind" in the literal meaning of the word for repent in Greek (metanoia/μετανοια).  Now let us note that this comment from St. Cyril effectively correlates repentence with the practice of mercy.  Mercy is a way of turning around our lives from one way to the other.  That is, turning away from a false path, and turning toward Christ.  It's important to note that this practice of mercy is something that comes from the heart, and is not merely some form of what is popularly called "virtue signalling," nor a way of jumping on a political or social bandwagon, nor conformity to popular ideas or to follow a crowd, or some other ulterior motive.  To practice mercy, St. Cyril is effectively saying, is to have a change of heart, or change of mind.  And therein we find something akin to a shaft of light in a dark tunnel.   Earlier in Luke's Gospel, the people ask John the Baptist what they must do to practice repentance in preparation for the coming of Christ.  "What shall we do then?" they want to know.  John responds by instructing the people of various walks of life what they can do, and in particular is mentioned those Jews notorious among the people for taking what they can get through authority and power, the tax collectors and soldiers.  See Luke 3:10-14.   Looking at this passage, we note that each word of advice given in response to this question by John is offering things that can be done as acts of mercy.  We might also think of the practice of mercy as acts of compassion, as our Lord so often shows us that He is "moved with compassion" and that compassion plays such a great role in His ministry (see Matthew 9:35-36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27, 33; 20:34; Mark 1:41; 5:19; 6:34; 8:2, 9:22; Luke 7:13; 10:33; 15:20).  St. Paul speaks of Jesus as our great High Priest as One who has compassion:  "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).  What St. Cyril offers us, then, is a way out of our "woes" that is enlightening even in its simplicity.  We must think of the practice of mercy as our way to repent, in whatever form that comes to us to practice.  Note that mercy is neither sentimentality nor pity, but a true sense of what is helpful and needful.  A practice of mercy is also the act of creating community; it has been called "love in action."  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus extensively cautions us not to use such acts as public spectacle, but rather prizes those which are done in secret.  One might read all of Matthew 6 in relation to this particular teaching regarding mercy and the things Jesus names as Woes.  Let us note also that the practice of mercy can be constituted by the smallest of seemingly minor acts, such as a smile when someone needs it, a good word, encouragement, even a tiny and intimate kindness, a touch on the shoulder, a reassurance.  We need not "save the world" in order to save the world, for in so doing in the name of Christ we participate in God's love which brings salvation to the world (John 3:16-17).  Let us remember the heart of the poor in the spiritual sense explained here, which is neither grandiose nor leaping ahead of itself, but humble and seeking the way of Christ, even when no one else knows it.  Above, I post a portion of what remains of a mosaic of the Aghia Sophia ("Holy Wisdom") cathedral, built in Constantinople, the capitol of the Byzantine Empire.  It is a detail of what is called the Deesis mosaic.  In the center is Christ, and on either side the Virgin Mary (called Mother of God) and St. John the Baptist pray on behalf of humanity.   Both of these figures constitute a picture of what it means to be blessed in the sense Christ gives in today's reading.  She is called the most "blessed among women" (Luke 1:28), while John is called greatest "born to women" (Matthew 11:11).  The portion in the image above is the face of Mary the Mother of God, in whose expression we can surely see the compassion Jesus teaches for us all.

 

 

For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy

 

 Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.  

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!" 

 

- Matthew 27:11-23 

 

Yesterday we read that, when morning came following Jesus trial at the home of the chief priest Caiaphas, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.  And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  And they said, "What is that to us?  You see to it!"  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went out and hanged himself.  But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."  And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."

 

  Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.    My study Bible comments here that the chief priests hide their real charge against Jesus -- the claim or equality with God -- because this would do nothing to persuade the governor, Pilate, to sentence Christ to death.  Rather, they present a charge of treason:  that Jesus has called Himself the King of the Jews.  This crime would carry the death penalty, as it would be a direct challenge to Roman rule.  

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"   My study Bible notes that Barabbas means "son of of the father."  In one of the paradoxes of this time and this story, we know that it is Christ who is the true Son of the Father.  So, ironically, the crowds must choose between one Son of the Father and the other.  Where is truth and where is falsehood and deception?  As they influence the crowds to choose Barabbas, these chief priests inicate to which father they belong -- the devil (see John 8:44).  

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"   Note again the irony in this passage.  Pilate's wife has been warned in a dream, and knows that Jesus is a just Man.  Both here and in other Gospels (see Luke 23:13-25) Pilate tries to release Jesus three times -- and three times the multitudes, persuaded by the chief priests and elders,  demand that Jesus be crucified. 

We note the deception, the uncanny "imitation" of what is good by what is actually evil.  The Son of the Father is to be replaced by Barabbas, the "son of the father," as the one who should be spared and uplifted instead.  The One who is to be "uplifted" will be lifted up upon the Cross, as He has said Himself (to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to learn from Him by night):  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:14-17).  It is worth reading the verses that follow this quotation, for their illumination of good and evil, light and darkness, and their insights into the picture we get in today's reading (see John 3:18-21).  Pilate, the governor from Rome, is the one who is truthful and merciful in this picture, while it is the religious authorities who are ruthless, scheming, and without conscience seeking to destroy the Holy One of God, whom the unclean spirits have recognized (Mark 1:23-24).  These false imitations of the good -- and highly importantly, the ones who will call pure good "evil" -- give us pause to reconsider once again Jesus' scathing words against hypocrisy.  If we look back at Matthew's chapter 23, which contains Jesus' sermon of "woes" directed at the religious leaders, we see His most vehement words directed against hypocrisy, and especially hypocrisy in the places of the religious leaders.  For when we look at this scene in today's reading, of this horrible scene of crucifixion with Christ at its center and its target for execution and torture, we understand the depths of what constitutes the real hypocrisy Jesus rails against.  It is their very hypocrisy that leads to the scene here of placing under order of execution by the Romans the Christ, the very Messiah Himself, the foretold Son of God who has come into the world in human form in order to save the world.  He is the culmination of all of Jewish spiritual history from our perspective, and yet He is the one these hypocrites hate most of all.   Pilate, the patrician who has maneuvered the ranks of power and authority of the Roman state apparatus, understands this fully, as the text gives us the heart of the motivations here:  "For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy."  It is a deep and profound commentary on human society and the drive for power that these men who are the religious authorities seek to put to death the One who is not an imposter, who is the real deal, so to speak, that they are not.  They wish to be in His place, and the only way they can remain there in the face of Christ in their midst is by getting rid of Him.  Their ruthlessness and cruelty in so doing know no bounds, for what has been unleashed is quite simply evil, and that well, once entered, may be very deep and dark indeed.  Let us understand again for ourselves Jesus' constant words of warnings to the disciples not to be deceived, in His final teachings to them (for example, Matthew 24:24).  These words are meant for us every bit as much as they were meant for those disciples, for we live in the time when all grow together, the good and the bad, when evil will continue to seek to manufacture false imitation of the good.  It is up to us to follow His warnings and be mindful, to "watch and pray" as His final parables continued to emphasize to them, and as He urged Peter at the time of greatest testing (Matthew 26:41).  Our hope, despite this scene of Crucifixion, nonetheless remains in watchfulness and prayer, in the depth of our reliance upon Christ and His Kingdom and our participation in it, even as we live in this world.  Christ goes to the Cross, proving to us that no matter what we think we see, the truth of reality is different, and our faith teaches us differently.  For it is the one who would deceive the whole world who is defeated at the Cross.