Daily Bread

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.S o when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’

This is a continuation of yesterday's story (see my Insight) — where Jesus had appeared to his disciples, made them breakfast, and re-instituted Peter, and in this story we hear about the crowds who chased after Jesus, searching for him until they found him.

Jesus was famous, at least in Judea. Everyone had heard about this miracle-working rabbi, and many of them had experienced first-hand the power of God. Some had been physically nourished with food and others had been spiritually nourished through being healed in body or mind. If you think about it, chasing Jesus down was a perfectly normal human response. When we think about our loved ones that endure pain and suffering, there's nothing we wouldn't do to have that pain and suffering removed. Go back two thousand years and you have no antibiotics, no universal health care, and little understanding of mental health — and here was this itinerant rabbi meeting people's deepest needs. Yep, if I was there, I'd have been looking for Jesus too.

In and through the person of Jesus, heaven and earth were colliding and God's presence was manifest. The miracles that Jesus performed were a glimpse into what the world would be like if it was fully redeemed, restored, and renewed, and yet Jesus made it clear that the miracles were not the point — that his mission or purpose was to enable us to participate in the redeeming, restoring, and renewing of the world — and we do this through putting our trust in, and giving our lives to Christ.

The problem of pain and suffering is complex, and beyond the scope of this short reflection, and if I'm honest I don't know why God chose us to be part of the solution for the world. Perhaps it's because God believes in us and has faith in us? All I know is that it appears God has done all God can to encourage us on the right path — the path of love for God, others, and creation.

Today, our scientific and technological achievements would seem utterly miraculous to someone living two thousand years ago — in fact, they would seem utterly miraculous to someone living just two hundred years ago. We have eradicated diseases, extended life expectancy, and our medical scientists, doctors, and surgeons perform miracles on a daily basis. If I lived two hundred years ago, I wouldn't be here today, nor my wife, nor my parents, nor either of my children, and for that I am eternally grateful, therefore, at least in some areas, perhaps us humans are not doing so bad after all?

Holy God
I thank you for the miracle of science
and the medical care and provision I enjoy.
I know I am truly blessed to have been
born into a world where so many
ailments have been eradicated.
Help me continue to work to alleviate
pain and suffering, wherever it may be encountered,
and to live in love and peace with all.
Now and forever.