GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING
“You give them something to eat.” This command seems reasonable enough, right? I don’t know about you all, but I know how to make a mean PB and J sandwich. To feed another person is not a big issue. However, it's the number of people that trips us up. 5,000 people? That is more than 4,999 people that I am able to afford to feed. Why does Christ tell his 12 disciples to do this impossible job? Is it merely to show them His own power to provide for those in need? I do not think that this is the case. Looking at the General Epistle reading for today as well, we see another seemingly impossible task. A Christian, Ananias, having to go to the greatest persecutor of Christians at that time, Saul. Not only that but to heal Saul and baptize him and to bring Saul into the Christian fold.
This is why I don’t think that Christ commands the Disciples to simply show His own power, but instead to break the illusion of impossibility. Now let me clarify, this illusion is one that masks the Good works which we are called to do and makes it seem as though it is impossible to do them. If you still do not know what I mean, then I will say it plainly. As Christians, there are certain commandments of God or traditions of the Church which we make excuses for why we cannot do them. For example, children, when you see someone getting bullied at school, how often are we just bystanders watching and most likely thinking that you cannot do much to help the person in need. How about now, during this pandemic? How often do we think “I cannot afford to give to charities because it's my money and I need it now?” Or worse yet, how often do we believe that we are doing enough as Christians? Christianity is one of continuous growth, stagnation is a sign of some type of spiritual illness.
I want to emphasize this point, Christ does not ask His followers, but commands them. Specifically “to go”, He always tells them to actively seek out people in order to help them. Achen will even say, at the end of the Holy Qurbana, that we have received the provisions from the atoning Altar of the Lord, “Go now in peace”. St. Jacob of Serug puts it beautifully in one of his songs which we sing during the Great Lent. He says “O You who fast, call to the poor and give them bread, and not when they come to you, but go after them, for the fields do not go after the ones who sow but those who sow carry seeds and go to the fields. When the poor knock, do not tell them, ‘The Lord will give.’ those words are vain and they bring no reward to you instead, give, and then you may say, ‘The Lord provides,’ for the poor know better than you that God provides.” This is why there is no such thing as a passive Christian, we as Christians must actively seek out and help those who are suffering. Practically speaking, children, when classes begin again and you see someone being bullied, your role as a Christian is to let an adult know what is happening and to try and make friends with the victim to help relieve their suffering. For us adults, we have many options, but the least of those options should not be to merely throw money at the issue. For example, when it comes to the homeless people on the street, instead of giving them money, ask if they would like something to eat. Or better yet, have a conversation with them, they are people who are probably starved of human contact and compassion. Again, this is the commandment of God, that we go to those who are suffering and aid them in any way possible.