Saturday 08 January 2011

Background

The feeding of the 5,000 is one of the best known stories ofJesus' ministry. It appears in all four Gospels, and takes variousforms. It is clearly an important story for the Christian communityand has all kinds of reasons for being so - with images of themessianic banquet, eucharistic references, and the reminder of howmuch of Jesus' ministry was expressed in meals with people (as inyesterday's reading, about the wedding atCana). 

It is also a story about what it means to be a disciple. Disciplesare not just followers, learners, observers or hangers-on. In thisstory, when the disciples suggest to Jesus that he should dosomething about this crowd of hungry people, he puts theresponsibility back on them - "YOU give them something to eat."Quite a challenge! But even big challenges become possible when thedisciples work along with Jesus. 

Through this week's theme 'Light for all' we have seen Jesus, thelight of the world, bringing light to others. As a result, thoseother people have responded to Jesus. In a way, they've taken theresponsibility of passing on the light. It is interesting that inMatthew 5:14, Jesus says to the disciples,"You are the light of the world." 

To Ponder

What might it mean for you to be "the light ofthe world"?

Have you ever thought 'somebody ought to dosomething about this situation', only to discover that 'someone'needs to be you? What happened?

Is there something you're being challenged to donow, as a disciple of Jesus? What are you doing to do about it?