Holy Trinity Ankeny

All three of our readings address hunger. There is hunger for food as the Israelites journey in the wilderness. In our Gospel reading, the crowd is hungry and wants Jesus to feed them again as he did when the 5000 gathered and they received bread and fish. Today we also hear about spiritual hunger and the one who can feed us; Jesus the Bread of Life. In the Letter to the Ephesians, the author directs us to live our lives according to our calling, and part of that calling is to live in a faith community. Hear more about life in the beloved community.

Life is filled with expectations. Expectations we have of others and expectations we have of ourselves. Today, John's account of the Feeding of the 5000 relates a story about expectations placed on Jesus and how he responds.

The opening words of the well-known 23rd Psalm bring most people comfort. The pastoral images of still water, pastures and a table set are idyllic. The assurance of protection in the face of trouble gives us peace. That first line points to the source of this comfort and peace – The Lord. No other shepherd will do – and there are many pretenders. For those who feel lost, outcast, broken, forgotten; for a world full of violence and division, only one shepherd can bring us together and grant us a place. The Lord.

Tragic events happen, but how do we live in a world that sets priorities of pride and ambition ahead being a beloved community? There is another way of living, another kingdom that Jesus proclaims. This is a kingdom in which you are claimed and baptized to live God's mercy and justice.

Isn’t it strange sometimes how Jesus seems to think just the way I think, believe what I believe, and get annoyed with the same kind of people that annoy me? Strange indeed. When this happens, we know that we have domesticated Jesus the Messiah. We have turned him to our purpose and made him in our own image, instead of the opposite. This robs Jesus of the power to redeem and save. It is the wild, uncontrollable Jesus we need.

Mark’s gospel tells us a parable of soils – no soil, rocky soil, thorny soil, and finally good soil – places where the gospel produces joy and faith. Who exactly is good soil? It is not who you might expect. Status, education, social concerns, right thinking, wealth – none of these things matter. The good soil is born of faith and the realization that only Jesus can help us. The good soil is Mark’s way of talking about the Beloved Community that is knit together by faith and the love of Christ.

Job wants answers. In his suffering, he wants to know why life is unfair, why he suffers, why bad things happen to him. Job wants explanations, information, reasons. He received no such things. His friends answer with ignorance. God, however, does answer – and the answer is quite unexpected.

Jesus told parables about the reign of God that were often puzzling and misunderstood. Using simple, everyday images, he taught that God’s work went on in hidden ways, sometimes with our help and often in spite of us. In a world where we despair about the size of our problems and the seeming smallness of our abilities and efforts, Jesus points us to sprigs, seeds, thistles, and poppies to find hope.

It doesn’t take much to see that humans have a gift for division - for blame and self-justification. If we are honest, love does not come easy to the children of Eve & Adam. When God asked if they had eaten of the fruit of the forbidden tree, man blamed woman; woman blamed snake; and all blamed God. Even family provides no assurance of love. The presence and love of Christ is a game changer. Only when we are first beloved by God and then able to love the forgiving grace and mercy of God do we stand a chance of loving anyone else – including our family.

On Holy Trinity Sunday, trying to understand the triune nature of God can be difficult. There is one we must not forget…