Being companions

Passage for reflection: Matthew 14: 13 - 21

I have big news this week: we had two take away pizzas on Wednesday evening! Our first venture anywhere near a shop since the middle of March. There’s a pizza take away in Sutton Bridge and it’s the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. We didn’t have to go in the shop. The man brought the pizzas out to the car. Mine was a “hot hot hot” - 14 inches of heaven! 

Lis said to me as I was about five slices in:

“Are you going to eat the lot in one go?”

“Yep!” I said. 

Our diet in lockdown has been pretty good apart from bad days when we’ve downed crisps and we’ve had a bar of chocolate a week, but mostly we are good. But on Wednesday night we just wanted pizza! It’s been a long time.

Of course, my stuffing all the slices is contrary to the heart of the Christian Gospel. To look after your own hunger only is contrary to the heart of the Christian Gospel. We are called to be companions. It’s helpful when we are trying to work out what we should be doing to remember what the word companion literally means. It means “one who shares bread.” I believe that is our call. To share bread with each other. 

So the Gospel for this Sunday is the famous story of the feeding of the five thousand. A large hungry crowd arrive to see Jesus. We have a God moment where human need and divine attention meet. All are fed, and there is food left over! 

There are, if you read the passage in Matthew’s Gospel three imperatives about Christian service and generous giving. This story reminds us in the end for life to be complete, it isn’t just about me and my pizza, it is about making sure others have some too, and there being more to give. The more generous we are the healthier we will be. I did, if I’m honest, feel a bit ill after fourteen inches of pepperoni!

What are the fundamentals of being companions?

1. Jesus saw the crowd and its need and he had compassion on them. There’s another word we need to know the literal meaning of: “to suffer with.” Jesus had gone for a bit of a rest but he saw the crowd and was moved to try and help them because he felt their pain in his gut. How compassionate are we when we see suffering? Do we say “it’s not our problem”? Or are we moved to reach out and enter the suffering of another even if it means personal cost to us? 

If we are genuine Christian people and deserve the name, then we need to remember a bit of Christology! Jesus suffered with his people enough to go to a cross for them. Jesus suffered with his people shedding blood and enduring pain. Sometimes Christianity isn’t easy or pretty. 

The call on us at this mad time still, is to meet the pain of the crowd. Not that crowds of five thousand will be meeting any time soon. But there’s a crowd of need around us. It’s being fed by the Church and kindness and compassion, practically and spiritually. There are amazing stories where actually though not meeting in a building, the Church has been more alive and relevant. Compassion takes time. It’s a difficult world. We are in a storm that doesn’t feel like it is going away. So people need help...

2. There’s a bit in the version of this episode Matthew tells where the disciples get in a two and eight about what they see. A huge crowd desperately hungry and not enough food. 

“How are we going to feed all these people? We have only five loaves and two fish.” You can hear them laughing, almost thinking “solve this then Jesus!”

Jesus says “bring them here to me.”

Here’s another huge Gospel truth. So often we think what we can offer is inadequate. It won’t be enough. It isn’t good enough. It will be laughed at. Others will be able to give more. I’ve always used this “we have only” thinking to encourage small churches in my ministry. Often just something very small, one little idea which feels insignificant can turn into a miracle when in the hands of Jesus. Jesus took the bread and the fish and blessed them. Then something amazing happened. All ate, five thousand men plus women and children. Twelve basketfuls were left over. I wonder what happened to the leftovers? Maybe this episode also teaches us to give our best. We are reticent as society mocks us and puts us down. But we need to give what we can and leave what happens to God. Let’s have some faith we can make a difference... 

3.  Finally we note “all were filled.”

I imagine there was a party spirit around Jesus as people ate together. What was the chat about? Did people share deep stuff together? We are not told how long this food sharing lasted. 

We miss as churches eating together, good old bring and share. We miss the renewing power of Holy Communion, where we are fed as a community with the life of Christ. Some people are now eating out together in restaurants again. Others are meeting together for afternoon tea in gardens at a safe distance. Sharing food together and taking time over it can build relationships. We do miss our favourite Indian eatery at Tydd Gote but we aren’t safe yet to eat out.

How do we fill each other with spiritual food at a time when how we used to do this cannot yet be? 

How do I minister compassionately and pastorally in September to my new flock spread across Ripon and the Lower Dales? I’ve decided this sermon will continue to be written and can go out by e mail each week; I’ll keep going my filmed reflections which over 200 people watch every week; I intend to book appointments to meet people in their gardens, and I’ll offer Zoom worship and groups maybe... and I’ll certainly be using the phone a lot for some good getting to know you conversations. I’m acutely aware of deep need in every community as this wretched virus keeps doing its stuff. No wonder Brian Blessed swore at it on live telly this week!! We’ve all had enough. Some people can only talk about coronavirus. We need to keep safe -  “hands, face, space” the latest PM catchphrase - but we have to have other things to think about. But I’m

also aware people need to talk about where they find themselves before they can move on.

A crowd, a compassionate Jesus, enough to satisfy everyone and more to be shared afterwards. A church that is open handed, companions and compassionate, is a glimpse of the heart of God. A pizza is for all. (So sorry I had it all!) Isaiah in the Old Testament reminds us of what we are meant to be: what is our purpose?

“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see them, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?”

A prayer:

Generous and compassionate Christ, come to us in our hunger, need and overwhelming moments when we haven’t enough in us to get through the day. Feed us what we need to be restored again. 

Companion Christ, call your Church again to be bread sharers, giving strength to the poor and forgotten of the world, being community so there are no haves and have nots.

Suffering Christ, when we think we suffer alone, point us to your cross. As we watch you there, draw us to you. You get where we are and your suffering mysteriously heals us. 

Loving Christ, feed us, and through us, feed others. Amen.