Here again we have the wonderful and amazing story of how
Jesus, having blessed seven loaves and a few small fish,
enabled his disciples to feed about 4,000 people. I always
think of church suppers when I read this story. Somehow
there is always enough. The only instance in my memory
where there wasn't sufficient fare, one parishioner went
home and brought back a cooked leg of lamb! This concept
carries beyond to everyday life. In Red Cross Disaster
Services, I was always amazed at how supportive and
helpful neighbors were to those who had been burned out,
and many times they didn't know each other. Today, in spite
of the economic situation, charitable donations and
volunteering have continued steadily. One of the things we
teach the ASYP kids to do is to write thank-you notes to the
church and others for the space, volunteers and support for
the program. The original loaves and fishes were a miracle.
Today, the concept of giving back, to which many of us were
brought up, and some came to late in life, is a modern and
human attempt to continue our Lord's concept.
Psalm 97, 99; Genesis 49:29-50:14; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34;
Mark 8:1-10
These Lenten meditations were written by the people
of St. Barnabas' for the people of St. Barnabas' as part
of our recognition of the 50th anniversary of the founding
of this church. We hope that you will find them helpful
in your own Lenten devotions.
