“FED WITH COMPASSION”
Saint Mark 8: 1-9
7th Sunday after Trinity: 4 August Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
Everyone like Christ’s miracles of multiplying loaves and fishes. For in the use of His creative power The Nazarene demonstrates Divinity, or, to His doubters, at least Elijah & Elisha-like signs of “double portion.”
This event was the second time The Lord fed a large crowd with scraps fit only for a few. The first time, in the feeding of the 5,000, He had been first busy with healing the sick and the diseased who had been brought to Him. Then, the multiplication was an extension of powerful testamentary signs of His Messiahship. And note, not one of His miracles that directly impacted people, was of force—impacting or explosive. His miracles are those of the vinedresser, farmer, physician, and healer. Jesus restores and nurtures. The Good Samaritan pours wine and oil on wounds and then bandages and carries to the Inn of the Church Catholic.
In Saint Mark’s account, there is a clear break between the healing of the deaf mute at the end of chapter seven, and this multiplication. The emphasis here is not on power over disease but simple human concern and empathy—Divine Providential Care—of a loving Father; a loving Brother; a loving Lord and God. “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.” Pure Gospel. Pure sacrificial sacramental love.
Lutherans are sometimes reminded not to make too much about typology and numerology. Pastors are instructed not to preach in allegorical or symbolical ways but to let the clear meaning of the text be simply stated. To do that, and that alone, I would announce: “Jesus with His Divine Power let 4,000 people eat their fill of fish sandwiches 2,000 years ago! Now, use your memory to hearken back and sing—‘Our God is an awesome God.’ Amen.”
The early Church Fathers, who were, some, only two or three centuries removed from the actual teaching and catechesis of the Apostles, thought differently.
God is Love. God is NOT gnostic, sentimental, intangible feelings or emotions. God’s “Love” Intent becomes “Love” physical act. That Love is the enfleshment of The Logos. The God/Man Christ Jesus in person and work is love. The Love is obediently keeping the Law on your behalf so you don’t go to hell for breaking it every single day. The Love is the Agnus Dei bleeding, choking, gasping, and suffering unimaginable pain on the cross and then dying in your rightful place so you don’t go to hell for your crimes. We call Christ’s last 6 hours on Good Friday, as well as His time in Gethsemane and arrest, His Passion. It was. It is. His compassion for every one of you; for all the world and especially for them that believe.
They were with Him for Three days because He is the Holy Anointed One sent on behalf of the Trinity: God The Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit. He who rested in death’s dark tomb on behalf of all multitudes of sinners for three days, who fasted Himself for 40, is the true source of all nourishment.
They had nothing to eat. NOTHING. You have likewise nothing to eat or sustain yourselves here or hereafter…except Christ!
You are like the “12.” Like them you know The Lord you have “seen” and experienced His acts of both kindness and power. And yet, you still doubt in most times of trouble and crisis. Christ multiplies Seven loaves because His nourishing food comes from the perfect source of all creation. As The Word made all things at the beginning, ex nihilo, so too He controls all things from His very own creative Essence. He the One Jesus with His Two Natures, perfectly communicating together in Holy Harmony, of course can take a “few” small fish and feed an army.
Why not just Holy + Baptism? Why also Individual Confession…AND…corporate Confession…AND…weekly (now twice a week) Holy Eucharist…AND…The Word of Losing every single Homily…AND…daily immersion in Holy Scripture, Why? Because He wants you to eat and “be filled.” Christ is a sumptuous and healthy banquet not a fast-food snack of chemicals and sugar.
It IS a great story, but today is even greater. The Food is here for you! “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” [Ps. 34.8a] It’s not the “what” but it’s the “WHY” that is at the heart of it. “I have compassion on the multitude, because they…have nothing to eat.” That is Love. That is God. That is Jesus the God/Man—“I have compassion” on you!
He gave His Body on The Cross for the eternal health of your body. You can believe Him when you daily pray for daily bread in the “Our Father.” You believe, teach, and confess, that he gives you “everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants…good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.” [SC. Pt 3.4]. But even more wonderful than that bounty is when The Church uses the Lord’s Prayer in The Divine Liturgy—right before The Mass. For as Scripture points in John 6 to both the Holy Communion and The Forever Feast which has no end in Heavenly Splendor, so too Jesus is THE only True Food. He is angel’s food, He is the genuine Mana, He is The Bread from Heaven: “…which came down from heave. If any man east of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh…except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink My Blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” [Jn. 6]
The Bread of The Lord. The Body of The Lord. The Word of The Lord.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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