Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

The Holy Martyrs Trophimus and Theophilus and their Companions. The Holy Martyrs Appolinaris and Vitalis, Bishops of Ravenna. Repose of Our Holy Father Basil (Hopko), Bishop of Medila. Our Holy Father Sharbel (Joseph) Makhluf

Title

Follow the Leader

Outline

We live with the realization that the world is shattered

Each seems to be following a different leader

And within the Christian world the same is true

Now this fits with the common assumption that religion is a private matter and whatever works for you is fine so long as you think that whatever works for someone else is fine for them - that course works so long as each can follow their own practices (which can be difficult in a family) and one does not think that one’s faith is true, for in that case love would call one to seek to draw those one loved to that faith.

In the political world it is a bit different because it is perceived that power is involved and therefore if someone does not follow the same leader and principles they are an evil person, an enemy, for they weaken the power of the leader or party - I heard of a family splitting on such issues just this week.

Now Jesus has been teaching in an isolated area

He had not called the people to that place, but rather they had sought him out due to their needs - he had chosen it for a small group retreat

Then a new need became apparent, food.

The disciples did not ask Jesus’ opinion, for he was a healer and teacher, not a grocer. They said, “Send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus responds, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” So there are two opinions, two leaders, who will prevail?

They disciples respond, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” Your plan will not work, Jesus; we do not have enough food to feed them.

Jesus simply says, “Bring them here to me.” And the disciples stop protesting and start obeying. They help the people get into groups at Jesus’ command. They bring their pittance of food to Jesus. They watch Jesus bless them, calling on the one God. They accept their very small handful. They dutifully go to a group and offer the food to the first persons. Only then did they realize that there was always enough food to go to another person no matter how much someone took. Soon they were offering seconds. In the end Jesus gets them to collect the scraps: 12 fishing baskets full. Lesson learned: have a problem, go to the leader, Jesus, and ask him what he wants to do about it.

Paul points out that the Corinthians had not learned this lesson

There were “dissensions” within the city-church or diocese. Some found Paul a great leader, others loved the eloquence of Apollos, other Cephas, who could tell such good down-to-earth stories about Jesus. Each had different emphases and ideas for they were different people. Paul will have none of this: he wants them to “be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Paul points out that the leader is Christ and that each of them are just ministers. None of them were trying to build a church around themselves, but each was pointing to the Jesus whose death was the death of our likes and dislikes (“the word of the cross”) as we pledge our allegiance to him. “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Only in unity around Jesus is the true God-man found, the true King.

What does that mean for us?

Certainly it means that our center should be Jesus, not our politics or likes and dislikes or our liturgical leanings or the like.

Politics will die with out death and should be evaluated in terms of Jesus anyway.

The various rites are simply a matter of Christians of different history mixing or sometimes following different ecclesiastical leaders: I, at least, have learned to appreciate that there is one Church by seeing the unity among the various rites.

So we should be praying and, if possible, working for the unity of the whole Church and the reunion of separated parts of the body of Christ with the whole.

For we should all be going to Jesus saying, “We have a problem,” and then listening to what he says. Only then will our baskets overflow with bread and we will have a new appreciation for our God-king.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 7-30-2023: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

1 Corinthians 1:10–18

10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius; 15 lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 7-30-2023: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

GOSPEL

Matthew 14:14–22

14 As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (7-23-2023: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023 | OCTOECHOS

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 7-30-2023: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel John 20:11–18

Epistle 1 Corinthians 1:10–18

Gospel Matthew 14:14–22