Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B July 28, 2024

 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time   Cycle B   July 28, 2024

In the Gospel we just heard; “One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Jesus, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 

Who is this boy, and what is he doing wandering around with five barley loaves and two fish?  Well, it just so happens that through a special revelation by means of my imagination, I have some information about this otherwise anonymous young man.  It turns out that his name was Zebulon, but he went by the nickname, Zuba.  He was 14 years old, and he was something of a hustler and a go-getter.  You could more politely say that he had an enterprising spirit.  He would be at home in Austin.

Zuba could see the large crowds that Jesus was drawing.  And he quickly figured out that a lot of these people would not plan ahead, and would find themselves hungry, with no access to food.  And Zuba saw this was his opportunity.   So, he gathered the very little money he had, and went and bought the five barley loaves and two fish, with the intention of selling them at inflated prices to the hungry crowd following Jesus, and so turn a handsome profit.  He hoped that he would make enough to buy a new pair of sandals, which he badly needed. 

That was his plan.  But then he met Jesus, and his plans all fell apart. 

Because, Jesus saw him.  Not just noticed Zuba, but really saw him.  And Zuba felt himself known for the very first time.  Known in his strengths and known in his weaknesses.  Known in his hopes and dreams, and known in his fears and shortcomings.  Known to the deepest depths of his being, and still accepted, still loved. 

 The feeling surprised Zuba, and he felt both comforted and also made ill-at-ease, all at the same time. 

At first, of course, Zuba wanted to sell his loaves and fish to Jesus, and at an inflated price.  But once he got into the presence of Jesus the greediness that Zuba felt began to feel hard, and oppressive, and not very good.  And when Jesus looked at Zuba, and then Jesus pointed His hand to all the hungry people sitting all around, Zuba sighed, and gritted his teeth to strengthen himself, and then let go of his greed and reluctantly, but freely, handed over his dream of a new pair of sandals by giving, without charge, the five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus.    //

My fellow Christians, that boy with the two fish and the five barley loaves is really you.  Each of us has talents, gifts, resources, wealth, money, possessions, positions and privileges, that we naturally want to use and maximize to our own benefit.  Probably not for a new pair of sandals, but for possessions and privilege and power and security. 

But then, if we are blessed, if we are fortunate, we meet the Risen Lord.  And the Lord looks at all the hunger around us; hunger for food, for education, for meaning and purpose, for a sense of worth, for love.  And we are challenged to hand over our five loaves and two fish, in whatever form that is, whether it is money / or expertise / or time to listen to someone hurting, so that taken up by Jesus, Who gives thanks for these small gifts, and can make them enough to fill the hungers of a hurting world. 

//   Later, after all had eaten and were well satisfied, Zuba felt great joy that it was his five loaves and two fish that Jesus had used to feed all the people.  Zuba felt full, not merely with bread and fish, but with purpose, and meaning, and deep deep gratitude.  Zuba knew who he was.

He was a person for others, just as Jesus is for others.  And that gave Zuba purpose in life, a sense of meaning, and deep satisfaction.  //

And when all the left over bread was collected, and twelve wicker baskets were stuffed with fragments, the Apostle Andrew found Zuba and gave him one of the baskets full of bread to take back to his family and share with them.   And Zuba thought it was a very good day indeed.