Sunday, August 3, 2014

Sunday Sermon 8/3/14

Today's gospel is the Loaves and Fishes gospel, the only miracle that appears in the writings of all four evangelists. It is a lovely mixture of  the worldly and the spiritual.
Christ seeks refuge and quiet after the murder of John the Baptist for Himself and the apostles so he goes to "a deserted place." This is not just for contemplation but for prudence; the authorities are interested in them. They go to an area just out of Herod's jurisdiction. The geography is known and described, the sea and the journey to the small town, the race by the locals to catch up with them is all quite clear and detailed. Local slang appears in the original Greek. And Christ is not put out by the interruption of His plans, He is, on the contrary, welcoming and concerned.
Then, in the middle of all this local history and color, a miracle of essential things.

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