Testimony of Andrew

17th Sunday Ordinary Time – Cycle B

2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:1-6; 

John 6:1-15

The young children gathered around the communal fire in eager anticipation. They could hardly believe their luck. Andrew, one of the Twelve, had come to their small village and was going to talk about his experiences with the Master. 

Andrew was not the most eloquent of speakers, but his life experiences and his closeness to Jesus made his words almost irresistible. When all had gathered, Andrew stepped forward and began to speak.

“I met Jesus one day by the River Jordan. I was with John the Baptist. John spotted Jesus, pointed him out to me and said, ‘behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’ I followed that man and he invited me inside. His words were so powerful. He spoke with an authority that I had never encountered before. When I left him that day, I ran and told my brother Simon about Jesus. Later, Jesus called Simon and me to accompany him in his ministry. I saw many great works, many wondrous deeds performed by the Master.”

“Tell us of the greatest” shouted a voice from the crowd.

“The greatest” Andrew began “was the day that Jesus fed a crowd of 5000 men plus women and children with only five barley loaves and two fish.

Jesus had been teaching all day. He cured many who were lame. He told the crowd about the Father and his love for his people. When he had finished, we got into a boat and crossed the sea to the mountains. Jesus liked the solitude that the mountains provided. It gave him the opportunity to pray in private. But the crowd followed. They were hungry for more of Jesus’ words. When the Master saw them, he realized how needy the people of God were. He had the crowd sit down. Jesus asked where we could get enough food to feed the hordes of people. I found a young boy who had five loaves of barley bread and two dried fish.

Jesus blessed the offering, divided the food into baskets, and asked that we begin to distribute the food among the people. The people rushed toward those of us carrying the baskets. Hands were reaching in from all directions. Sometimes, the basket seemed almost empty. Other times it was so full that I could hardly lift it.

When we had reached the end of the crowd, I looked down, and there was still food left for the other disciples and myself. We ate our fill as well. Then Jesus ordered that the scraps be gathered up so that nothing would be wasted. The scraps left filled twelve wicker baskets.

As I reflect back on that day, I can’t help but marvel at how things developed. When the people arrived at our location, they were individuals. Each person came to Jesus with their own needs and reasons for being there. But Jesus united the crowd. He had them all recline. He did not ask the women and children to sit in the back. He did not ask any honored guests to come forward and be recognized. He did not ask anyone to leave because they were unclean or undesirable. Jesus took the meager offerings of a small boy, blessed them, and had them distributed. The words that Jesus spoke and the bread that Jesus offered was enough to satisfy the hunger of all who had come.

It’s easy to look at the problems that we face in our world today, shake our heads and say ‘too bad.’ The problems of poverty, hunger, health care, oppression and prejudice seem too vast and the solutions too complex for one individual to make a difference. But on that day, I saw the Savior take the offering of bread and fish, the assistance of a few devoted followers, and the willingness of people united in a common goal and accomplish that which seemed impossible.

The one thing that I want you all to remember – to tell your children and grandchildren to remember is this – God provides enough blessings for everything and everyone. But it is incumbent on each of us to recognize the blessings that God has given, be thankful for them, and be willing to share them with others as Jesus has done.

Today I ask this question of each of you. What do you offer Jesus to feed the multitudes?

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 26, 2009