Interruption And Hospitality – Read Mark 6:30-45
Contemplation
Back from teaching, everyone is telling stories by the sea. Sounds of seabirds, smells of fish, people milling around, everyone is excited, but also very tired and a bit sad and worried. We have just heard that John the Baptist is dead. Jesus calms us down and suggests we go somewhere quiet to talk, to listen and to rest up. But there isn’t any rest – as soon as we go across the lake to our quiet spot, we hear and see voices and crowds. Everyone is there already – they must have gone around the long way on foot. Jesus doesn’t seem worried.
The crowd is as tired and hungry as we are. “How are we going to feed everyone? We don’t have the money!” “Give them something yourselves!” “Oh come on, we are all tired – don’t give us any more riddles. How can we feed them all – all we have is five pieces of bread and two fish between us?”. But now Jesus sits everyone down. There is milling and confusion, but everyone is (sort of) lined up in rows – sitting on the green grass near the shore. He lifts up the bread and fish and says the words of blessing over them. Suddenly, tiredness is forgotten. Here comes the bread and fish being handed round – to everyone. I take some.
What does it smell like, feel like, taste like?
How is this one piece of bread and fish connected to the ones Jesus blessed?
Have I shared things or reached out to others – especially when I have been tired, irritable, angry and the job has seemed too hard?