Learning What It Takes to be Disciples of Christ – the Way, the Truth, and the Life to Follow : 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

 As we profess through the Nicene Creed, we, the Church, are apostolic. It means that we are apostles, following the examples of the Apostles, constituting the Church, one Body of Christ (Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). To be apostles to be sent to all nations to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), we ourselves first need to be disciples of Christ. We are always disciples of Christ. And it is our Christian identity. But, what does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? Do we really understand what it takes to be a disciple? The Scripture readings for the 22^nd Sunday, Cycle A, (Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27) address the discipleship.

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are inducted into the Church, which Jesus has built on Peter, the rock (Matthew 16:18). Through catechization, we become disciples, growing not only in knowledge about one God but also in faith in the triune God. As we learn about one God in Trinity and ourselves in relation to the triune God, we grow in faith and cultivate our Christian identity. Then, we make our public vows of our life-long commitment to God and His mission through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Because this Sacrament of formation reflects Pentecost, while we continue to learn for the rest of our life, we become ready to be sent as apostles, having achieved a certain level of mastery in our discipleship.

Being a disciple literally means being a learner (μαθητής/mathetes). This Greek word, mathetes, for disciple share the same roots with mathema (μάθημα), which means what is to be learned, the etymological word for mathematics. Does it mean that we also have to learn mathematics (mathema) to be disciples (matheton – pl. of mathetes)? This is a good question! What is the most important thing here is that what is to be learned (mathema) is the triune God through our personal relationship with Jesus, who is the Son, and the Parakletos (Advocate/Comforter) (1 John 2:1), and through the Holy Spirit, another Parakletos (John 14:16), and then, who we are, as the Church (Ekklesia) in relation to the triune God, just as summed up in the Nicene Creed.

What does it mean to be disciples of Christ, besides being life-long learner of what Christ has taught? It means to follow Christ, who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). Therefore, being disciples of Christ means follower of Christ, always learning from him and the Holy Spirit, so that we can be sent as apostles to make disciples in all nations on earth. And, this is just the basics of the discipleship.

What the Scripture readings of the 22^nd Sunday (Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27) teach us about the discipleship is what it takes to be disciples. And, it is self-denial so that we can take up our cross (Matthew 16:24). It means humility by overcoming ego and bearing suffering even to the point of death. This is what it means to follow Christ, who is the way, while continuing to learn the truth of Christ, and this practice of the discipleship leads to life, as Christ is the life (Mathew 16:25-26; cf. John 14:6). And, Jesus himself has lead the way of the discipleship by his own example, making himself as the living sacrifice – the ultimate Passover sacrificial lamb (Exodus 12:1-7,21-27), which John the Baptist called Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi (John 1:29). That is why Jesus foretold of his death to the disciples (Matthew 16:21), upon Peter’s proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 16:16). Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) leads the way and the truth and life, by offering himself as the living sacrifice holy living sacrifice, pleasing to God the Father (Romans 12:1), so that we follow him – being able to offer ourselves as holy living sacrifices, pleasing to God.

Certainly, this is very difficult for us to follow the way of Christ as we need to deny ourselves and may suffer to death. But, it is the way of the discipleship, led by Christ himself as he has offered himself up as the ultimate living sacrifice on the Cross for our salvation, as Passover sacrificial lamb has saved the Israelites from God’s wrath through its blood.

Perhaps, Peter knew so well how difficult it is to be a disciple of Christ for the cost of the discipleship. It is because Peter was rebuked by Jesus for protesting the prospect of the Messiah’s suffering and death when Jesus foretold his suffering, death, and resurrection (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter protested the prospect that Jesus, the Messiah, would have to die, because it made no sense to him. And, Jesus reminded that suffering and death of the Messiah makes no sense to the worldly mindset of humans but it makes sense to God in rebuking Peter for being an obstacle to the way of the Messiah, the Christ, by protesting the prospect of the Messiah’s death (Matthew 16:23). That is why, Paul tells us not to conform ourselves to the world but to transform ourselves by renewing our minds in light of the mind of God (Romans 12:2). This way, not only we accept that the Messiah has to suffer and die but also we follow this way of the Messiah as our practice of the discipleship, denying ourselves and carrying our cross.

The First Reading (Jeremiah 20:7-9) gives a prototype image of the discipleship with an example of Jeremiah’s suffering. Also, it reminds us that Jeremiah did not sink into his suffering because he kept the fire of his faith in God (Jeremiah 20:9-13), and the fire of Jeremiah’s faith, which enabled him to endure his suffering, is the thirst for God (Psalm 63:2), sung in the responsorial Psalm’s doxology.

Jeremiah was able to carry his cross because he kept the fire of his faith, his inherent thirst for God. Thus, Jeremiah gives a prototype of Jesus’ teaching about what it takes to be his disciples – self-denial and carrying our cross (our humility and bearing suffering even to a point of death). But if we conformed ourselves to the world, making ourselves to think merely with human mind but not with the mind of God, then, this truth in Jesus’ teaching would make no sense, risking ourselves to be rebuked by Jesus with these strong words: “Get behind me, Satan!” for becoming obstacles to the way of Christ and our discipleship.

Have we learned a critical lesson on the discipleship, in particular, what it takes to be a disciple of Christ, to remain in the way of Christ but not to get in the way of Christ’s Messianic mission? Remember, we must keep learning to be disciples (matheton). And, unless we learn, how can we become apostles to make disciples – even it may bring suffering to bear and demand us to offer ourselves as holy living sacrifices?

As long as we keep the fire of our faith, our inherent thirst for God, we also believe that our discipleship is rewarded greatly because our self-offering as living sacrifices pleases God. And, just as Christ resurrected upon his suffering and death, we, too, are promised to be raised for being loyal disciples of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-58). Let us not forfeit this great reward by not practicing self-denial and letting our fear, which is due to our ego, prevent us from carrying our cross!

Remember, it costs more not to bear the cost of the discipleship, for our failure of self-denial.

Two Sides of Peter: Rock and Satan - with God's Mind, without God's Mind

The Gospel Reading for the 21^st Sunday, Cycle A (Matthew 16:13-20) and the Gospel Reading for the 22^nd Sunday (Matthew 16:21-27) are one set of narrative. In the flow of the narrative, focusing on Peter, you may wonder what Peter is, the rock or Satan, as Jesus called Peter the rock to build his Church on (Matthew 16:18) but also called him Satan to get behind (Matthew 16:23) on the same occasion. And, it was the occasion that Jesus confronted his disciples to assess their understanding of who he is for the first time in his public ministry ever since he recruited them – so that he could foretell his death and resurrection to them. Jesus wanted to make sure that his disciples understand that he is the Messiah and that he has to die and resurrection to complete his Messianic mission on earth.

Around the midpoint of his 3-year-span public ministry, in the region of Caesarea Philippi (Mathew 16:13), six days before his transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), Jesus asked the disciples, first, who they think people see he is (Matthew 16:13), then asked them who they think he is (Matthew 16:15). The disciples indicated that people do not really know him as people’s perceptions of Jesus varied (Matthew 16:14). On the other hand, when Jesus asked the disciples who they think he is, it was Peter who answered that he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). To this Jesus rewarded Peter with the keys to his Kingdom, sharing his authorities with him to loose and bound what is on earth and what is in heaven (Matthew 16:19). And, he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell people of his true identity as the Messiah and about the keys given to Peter (Matthew 16:20). It was not a time for the general public to know Jesus’ Messianic identity – yet, as his Messianic identity was to be fully revealed to the public on the Cross. So, the Messianic secret about Jesus had to be kept among the inner circle: Jesus and his direct disciples. And, for this reason, Jesus began foretelling his death for the first time (Matthew 16:21), as to indicate that his Messianic mission is to fulfill the fourth servant song of Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). Based on this Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus, the Messiah, needed to die and to rise from his death in order to complete his mission. Identifying Jesus as the Messiah is the first step. And, understanding that his Messianic mission comes with his death and resurrection is the second step.

Though Peter did well with the first step in identifying Jesus as Messiah, he did not with the second step. Why did Peter well with the first step in identifying Jesus as the Messiah but he failed with the second step in understanding the Messiah’s mission? In fact, this is a very important question to answer why Jesus called Peter the rock but also called him “Satan” on the same occasion.

When Peter did well with the first step in identifying Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), it was not really Peter to answer but it was because God the Father made a Christological revelation on Jesus to Peter (Matthew 16:17). On the other hand, when Peter reacted to Jesus’ foretelling of his death and tried to forbid Jesus from heading to Jerusalem for his fear of Jesus being killed, Peter was not in the mindset of God but of men (Matthew 16:23). Given what Jesus said in Matthew 16:17 and 23, Peter deserved to be called the rock for Jesus to build his Church on when his mind was in touch with things of God, including what God reveals, but he is entitled to be rebuked as “Satan” when his mind was not but with full of mere human things.

Of course, when Jesus called Peter “Satan”, it was rather a hyperbolic expression to make a powerful teaching against being a stumbling block (Matthew 16:23) to Jesus’ Messianic mission. In this context, “Satan” is synonymous to anything that can disrupt the Messianic mission of Jesus, as Satan exists as anti-Christ and the primary forces against Jesus’ mission.

As human beings, we would react as Peter did if we had been with Jesus when he foretold of his death, as he did to his disciples in Caesarea Philippi. Who would want our Lord to be killed? So, we would try to stop him from heading to a risky place to prevent him from dying. This is a thinking of human minds. However, the mind of God, His Son, has to suffer and die and resurrect, as prophesized in the fourth servant song of Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). Because now the disciples became aware that he is the Messiah as God the Father made this Christological revelation to Peter and he professed it (Matthew 16:16-17), Jesus felt that it was time also for them to know what the Messiah is really about – to fulfill Isaiah 52:13-53:12. Yes, this is counter-intuitive to minds of humans. But, it is what is in the mind of God. And it is for us – our salvation. For us, our of the love of God for us, Jesus, the Messiah, has to suffer and die as the sacrificial ultimate Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:1-7,21-27; John 1:29). Resisting to this means being a stumbling block to Jesus’ Messianic mission for our salvation and protesting the will of the Father.

Peter needed to be with God – with God’s revelation, as well as the mind of God, to be right with Jesus. When Peter was with God, Peter was good enough to become the rock for Christ’s Church to be built upon and to have his share of Christ’s authorities to bind and loose what is on earth and what is in heaven, symbolized with the keys to the Kingdom (Matthew 16:17-19). However, when he was not with God, he only thought as humans or the general public, who could not understand Jesus as the Messiah, and even tried to act as Satan desires for becoming a stumbling block to Jesus’ Messianic mission.

A lesson for us to take from Matthew 16:13-27, the Gospel readings for the 21^st and 22^nd Sundays, Cycle A, in focusing on Peter, is that we need be with God so that we are with the mind of God. If not, we, too, risk ourselves to become “Satan”, becoming stumbling blocks to Jesus’ evolving Messianic mission, which will continue until his return at the end of time.

Also remember Peter when he saw Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33). To see if it was really Jesus or a ghost, Peter asked the man walking on the water to command him if it was really Jesus, his Lord, when Jesus said not to be afraid but to take courage (Matthew 14:27-28). Peter was testing Jesus as Satan did (Matthew 4:1-11). But Jesus did non rebuke Peter at that time though he was acting as Satan did for putting him to a test. So, Jesus commanded Peter to come, and Peter was able to walk on the water – until his attention was disrupted by the wind and let fear dominate his mind (Matthew 14:28-30). Peter’s mind was with God in Jesus when was able to miraculously walk on the water, just like Jesus, but he immediately became a man of little faith (Matthew 14:31) as his human mind lost Jesus and let fear take over and doubt.

In juxtaposing how Peter was in Matthew 14:22-33 and 16:13-27 – Peter walking on the water but began sinking and Peter being called the rock but also called “Satan”, we learn how important it is to keep us in the mind of God – what the mind of God may reveal to us to remain as disciples of Jesus.  And, the Gospel reading for the 22^nd Sunday (Matthew 16:21-27) is about what it means to be his disciples.

Humility to Receive and Keep the Keys – to Remain as Servant Leaders with Authorities “ 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

 There are some important themes to be reflected from the scripture readings of the 21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A (Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-3,6,8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20):

1. ·        Identification of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God (Gospel)
2. ·        Shared authorities, symbolized with the keys (Gospel, First Reading) and expressed as “binding and loosing” (Gospel)
3. ·        Humility to be commissioned and to serve with authorities (First Reading, Responsorial Psalm)
4. ·        Wisdom and knowledge of God, too great for us to fathom alone (Second Reading)

Of course, these themes need to be connected as we reflect and apply to our life of faith.

The First Reading (Isaiah 22:19-23) reminds us that we must remain humble and faithful to serve with authorities. It is a story about Shebna, who served as King Hezekiah’s comptroller, and Elaikim, who replaced Shebna by God’s choice, as prophesized to Isaiah. In commissioning Elaikim, God placed the key of the House of David (Isaiah 22:22) on his shoulder. With this key, Elaikim received the authorities as the comptroller for king of Judah.

The sins of Shebna had ruined Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:1-18). To save this holy city, God replaced Shebna with Eliakim, giving him authorities, expecting him to perform better than his predecessor. However, Eliakim eventually disappointed God as he, too, failed (Isaiah 22:25).

The depiction of Elaikim in Isaiah 22 may draw a parallel to Peter in the Gospel Reading for the 21^st Sunday (Matthew 16:13-20) and the 22^nd Sunday (Matthew 16:21-27). Jesus gave Peter the authorities, symbolized with the keys to the Kingdom, to lead his Church (Matthew 16:18-19). However, Peter disappointed Jesus as he did not understand why the Messiah had to die in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21-23).

When Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), the Father in heaven revealed it to him (Matthew 16:17). However, when he was on his own, Peter was not able to understand how the Messiah, whom he identified with Jesus, would accomplish his salvific mission through his death and resurrection, as addressed in the 22^nd Sunday Gospel Reading (Matthew 16:21-27).  Though Jesus promised to share his authorities with him, Peter disappointed Jesus as he was not yet able to fully know who Jesus really is as the Messiah, without God’s revelation to him.

As Elaikim failed, even receiving the authority as King Hezekiah’s comptroller (the key to the House of David) from God, so did Peter, whom Jesus gave the authorities (the keys to his Kingdom) (Isaiah 22:20-25; Matthew 16:17-23).  Without God’s backup, even receiving the authorities, a God-commissioned leader may fail. Therefore, we need not just be but to remain humble and faithful in order not to fail and disappoint God, who entrusts us to be servant leaders to carry on Christ’s mission, by virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism and our oath through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

As Paul reminds us in the Second Reading (Romans 11:33-36), God’s wisdom and knowledge are far beyond our power to understand. So, Paul praised the supremacy of God’s wisdom and knowledge. And God only reveals His wisdom to the humble (Matthew 11:25 cf. Proverbs 11:2). Therefore, we must remain humble so that God can reveal His wisdom to us. Likewise, God may also share His authorities only to those who remain humble. And, as we remain humble, God reveals His wisdom to us. Thus, with God’s revealed wisdom, we are able to do the right things for God, who entrusts us.  And, in the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8), David praises God for being so kind to the humble, reminding that our humility not only qualifies us to serve as God’s servant leaders without failure, as His revealed wisdom and abundant kindness, so that we can remain worthy to bind and loose with the keys, in accordance with His will.

To be worthy to receive the keys to bind and loose (to receive the authorities to exercise) in connection to the Kingdom, we cannot rely on our own wisdom but to have God’s revealed wisdom and kindness. For this, we need to be and to remain humble all the time so that we will not fail as God’s servant leader – as the apostles of Christ’s one holy catholic apostolic Church.

 

A Lesson of Faith: Contrasting the Faith of the Disciples, who are Jew, and the Faith of the Syrophoenician Woman, a Gentile – the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A

 A contrast can be drawn between the Gospel Reading of the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) (Matthew 14:22-33) and the Gospel Reading of the 20^th Sunday (Matthew 15:21-28), in terms of faith. The faith of the disciples in Matthew 14:22-33 was rather a shaky one. Because of this, they were unable to recognize Jesus when he was walking on the water during the storm. Their problematic faith let them assume that the man walking on the water was a ghost. And this resulted in the disciples’ fear. On the other hand, the faith of the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15:21-28 is firmly resolved, not letting anything to get in the way of it. And, the Gospel narrative also describes how her steadfast faith overcame the challenge that Jesus set before her.

During the post-Paschaltide Ordinary Time, a focus in the Scripture readings for Sunday Mass is on the growth in faith. Therefore, by contrasting the faith of the disciples in Matthew 14:22-33 for the 19^th Sunday and the faith of the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15:21-18 for the 20^th Sunday, as we reflect our own faith, we can ask ourselves – what is an area in life where faith becomes shaky? And how can we grow in faith to attain the unshaken and firmly resolved faith like the Syrophoenician woman?

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Jesus and his disciples needed some respite time to get away from his folks, the Israelites, as he had been quite busy, intensely busy, upon his disciples’ return from their mission. As you read Matthew 14 and 15, you realize this.

After taking care of the sick in Capernaum and feeding more than 5,000 out of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish in Tabgha, Jesus dismissed the crowds, who kept chasing him, and sent his disciples ahead of him on the boat, so that he could pray alone and grieve over the death of his cousin, John the Baptist. While the disciples were sailing the Sea of Galilee, storm hit and Jesus was walking on the stormy water to catch up with the disciples. Then, the disciples mistook Jesus for a ghost due to their shaky faith. Peter even tested Jesus, saying, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water”(Matthew 14:28). And, Jesus commanded Peter to walk on the water, and Peter was actually able to walk – until his attention drifted from Jesus as strong wind hit his body and his shaky faith. He began to sin and cried for help to Jesus. And, Jesus rescued Peter. Witnessing the whole thing, the disciples came to recognize Jesus as “truly the Son of God”(Matthew 14:33).

Then, once they came to shore of Gennesaret, people brought sick members of their communities to Jesus for healing. Once again, he was busy taking care of people in the area. Then, the Pharisees from Jerusalem argued with Jesus on cleanliness and Jesus exposed their hypocrisy in his rebuttal.

Just place yourself in the place of Jesus in this strain of events. You sure would feel like having a break.

So, the setting of the Gospel narrative for the 20^th Sunday (Matthew 15:21-28) is Jesus and his disciples being on break in the region of Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia. It is a territory of the Canaanite. Jesus went beyond where the Israelites lived in Galilee to get away, after intensely taking care of them. Then, there came a woman of the area, asking Jesus to heal her possessed daughter.

Though this woman did not chase Jesus all the way from Galilee, perhaps, Jesus might have shared the feeling of Dr. Marvin, a psychiatrist in 1991 movie, What about Bob?”, when his patient, Bob, popped up to Dr. Marvin at his vacation site. Dr. Marvin was on vacation to get away from an intense patient, Bab. But, Bob did not let his beloved psychiatrist, Dr. Marvin, go away from him. And, Dr. Marvin’s vacation was ruined by Bob.

Jesus came all the way to the region of Tyre and Sidon to have a bit of “vacation”. But, a local woman came and asked him to “work” for her daughter.

The woman pressed Jesus, pleading to him, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon” (Matthew 15:22). But, Jesus responded with his silence at first. And the disciples suggested Jesus to send her away, as they did in response to the crowds (Mathew 15:23; cf. 14:15). And Jesus did not object the disciples’ suggestion though he did not send her away, either (Matthew 15:23; cf. 14:16). Then Jesus finally opened his mouth and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”(Matthew 15:24). Because she was not an Israelite but a Syrophoenician Canaanite, she knew she was out of the range of Jesus’ ministry. So, did she give up, regretting that she was not an Israelite and asking a favor from an Israelite healer? No.

Rather, she came closer to Jesus and said, “Lord, help me”(Matthew 15:25). Perhaps, she felt she had no other choice but to ask Jesus, though she was told that he was not to service the Gentiles. So, she would not go until she could mobilize Jesus into action. Then, Jesus said, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs”(Matthew 15:26), alluding the Israelites to the children and the Gentile to the dogs. And, I have noticed that many wonder why Jesus made such a “mean” response to a non-Israelite woman, as to reject her earnest request.

They question: why Jesus had to make such a rejecting statement in response to this Gentile woman’s request. Was it because she was like Bob, bothering Jesus on his “vacation”, as Bob bothered Dr. Marvin on his vacation? Or, was Jesus’ ministry was only for the Israelites, as he indicated in Matthew 15:24? For a sure answer, you need to ask Jesus directly. However, we can tackle these questions with some thoughts in reference to other biblical passages and in reference to the First Reading (Isaiah 56:1, 6-7), the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8), and the Second Reading (Romans 11:13-15, 29-32).

The First Reading clearly prophesizes for the catholic (universal) Church to worship Christ, in which both the Israelites and the Gentiles worship together, as the Church is called “a house of prayer for all peoples”(Isaiah 56:7). And, the responsorial Psalm sings for all nations to praise the Lord. Then, the Second Reading tells that Paul’s mission concentrated in reaching out to the Gentiles to let the fledging the catholic Church grow, the God’s covenants with the Israelites, as addressed in the Old Testament, are irrevocable, indicating that the Israelites, even though they did not recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, to fulfill all the covenants for them in the Old Testament.

In fact, the Messiah promised and prophesized for the Israelites in the Old Testament was not just for the Israelites but also for the Gentiles, as well (Isaiah 9:1-7). So, Isaiah 56:7 and Zechariah 9:9-10 echo this. So, based on this, Jesus was predestined to extend his salvific power also to the Gentiles.

If so, then, why Jesus did not respond to the Syrophoenician woman’s request immediately but indicated his ministry being limited to the Israelites?

It was not that Jesus “rejected” the Syrophoenician woman’s request with a comment rather insulting for suggesting the Gentiles as less worthy as dogs. Rather, Jesus must have been testing the strengths of her faith. Perhaps, Jesus was setting a higher bar for the Gentiles to have his attention for ministry service. If this is the case, then, the woman certainly passed the test, by saying to Jesus, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters”(Matthew 15:27). The woman cleared the standards that Jesus set in Matthew 15:26 because of her strong faith in Jesus and her unconditional love for her daughter. So, with these words of Jesus, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish”(Matthew 15:28), her daughter was healed.

In fact, this was not the first time Jesus actually extended his healing power to a Gentile. He had healed a Roman soldier in Capernaum (Matthew 8:5-13), even though the priority of his public ministry was to save the lost Israelites (Matthew 15:24) and he even implicated this to his disciples in sending them on mission, prohibiting them to enter a house of Gentile (Matthew 10:5-6). During the time of Jesus, there was a rabbinic teaching on spiritual contamination if a Jew enters into a house of Gentile. Obviously, when the Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal a soldier under his command and care, he understood this rabbinic teaching.

Jesus said that he would go to the house where the soldier was to cure , when the Roman centurion approached Jesus and told about his soldier’s paralyzing suffering, (Matthew 8:6-7). But, the Centurion told Jesus, understanding himself being a Gentile, and perhaps the rabbinic teaching, he said that he was unworthy to have Jesus under his roof, so simply sending his healing word would be enough to heal his sick soldier (Matthew 8:8). This Roman centurion certainly showed his respect to the rabbinic culture, in which Jesus was. Furthermore, the centurion appealed to Jesus’ authority as another man of authority. As a man of authority, the centurion cares about all of his men under his command, and this mobilized Jesus to grant healing without a physical presence or physical contact (Matthew 8:13).

Now juxtaposing the 20^th Sunday Gospel narrative (Matthew 15:21-28) to Matthew 8:5-13 in contrast. These are the first two episodes of Jesus granting Gentiles’ requests for healing of persons whom they care. To the Roman centurion’s request to heal a soldier under his command, Jesus responded immediately. To the Syrophoenician woman’s request, however, Jesus did not respond immediately but challenged her, alluding her and her folks to dogs. To the Gentiles, was Jesus more favorable to men than to women?

Such questions are intriguing but can prevent us from appreciating something more important. As I indicated in the beginning, a focus is on the faith of Syrophoenician woman, in contrast to the faith of the disciples. Also, the faith of the Roman centurion is noteworthy.

The disciples are Israelites. And, their faith was obviously not as resolved as the faith of the Syrophoenician woman and the faith of the Roman centurion. The steadfast faith of the Syrophoenician woman and the faith of the Roman centurion moved Jesus into action, crossing the division between the Israelites and the Gentiles. Jesus did not see the faith as strong as the Syrophoenician woman and the Roman centurion among the Israelites (i.e. Matthew 8:10). And, this is echoed in Paul’s lament over the his fellow Israelites’ lack of faith in Christ (Romans 9:1-5, the Second Reading for the 19^th Sunday ) and the priority of his mission for the Gentiles while still hoping for his fellow Israelites to see Christ as the Messiah to fulfill all the covenants and prophecies for the Israelites, God’s first chosen (Romans11:13-15, 29-32; the Second Reading for the 20^th Sunday).

Jesus was aware of his salvific mission was not just limited to save the lost sheep of Israel but also the Gentile sheep (John 10:16), though he made an impression as if he was to care only the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24).

So, the way that Jesus responded to the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15:21-28) was to test her faith with a bit of hyperbolic statement by contrasting the Israelites and the Gentile to the children and the dogs (Matthew 15:26). Though Jesus would prefer to have a mini vacation in the region of Tyre and Sidon, being a way from Galilee, where the Israelites demand his service, he would never reject anyone with faith, seeking him, whether an Israelite or a Gentile, given his statement in John 6:37.

In regard to Jesus’ hyperbolic comparison between the Israelites and the Gentiles, juxtaposing to a comparison between the children and the dogs, it is not necessarily insulting to the woman. The Greek word used for Jesus’ comparison to the dogs is κυνάριον/kunarion, rather than κύων/kuon. While the former has the connotation to a domesticated pet dog or cute puppy, the latter is a general term for dogs, including scavenging dog. Therefore, if Jesus were mean to the Gentiles, Matthew would have used κύων/kuon rather than κυνάριον/kunarion. And, because of her steadfast faith, the Syrophoenician woman understood Jesus’ intent and therefore was able to respond accordingly to impress him.

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An important lesson from the 20^th Sunday, also reflecting a lesson from the 19^th Sunday, is that shaky faith can be easily let fear plague us but steadfast faith can overcome obstacles.

So, is our faith growing more steadfast and resolved or still shaky as we continue to advance through this post-Paschaltide Ordinary Time?

Recognizing God’s Presence in All Situations to Keep Your Faith Strong Always: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

How strong is your faith? Is it strong enough to enable you to walk on the water? But, even it is not that strong, do you find yourself in increasing and strengthening faith as you encounter God? Let's take a lesson from the readings.

The First Reading (1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a) tells that Elijah, during persecution, recognized the presence of God in His whisper, and his faith, which had never been lost, was regained its strengths. Elijah’s life was threatened as a result of his prophetic work for God, and he fled from the hands of the persecutors and found a shelter in the cave of Mt. Herob. There, God challenged Elijah for his faith and found God in His whisper. As a result, he came out of the hiding cave and moved on to accomplish more for God.

 On the other hand, King Ahab, the seventh king of Israel, “sold” his faith in God for his pagan wife, Queen Jezebel. Because of this corrupt royal couple, the religion of Israel had its soul in God of Israel, Yahweh, but turned into worshiping Baal, pagan deity of Jezebel. In response to this, God chose Elijah to step up against this paganization, and Elijah fought against the Israel’s Baal worship through his powerful prophecies, resulting in 350 Baal priests’ execution at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:16-40). But, this made Jezebel angry and her anger sent army to capture Elijah. So, he fled for safety and found a shelter in the cave in Mt. Herob, where Moses encountered God in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-12) and received the Law (Deuteronomy 4:9-5:21 cf. Exodus 19 – 20). God was always with Elijah and challenged him in his hiding in the cave, asking, “Why are you here, Elijah? (I Kings 19:9b, 13b), and Elijah answered:

I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts, but the Israelites have forsaken your covenant. They have destroyed your altars and murdered your prophets by the sword. I alone remain, and they seek to take my life.  1 Kings 19:10, 14

Just as Moses did not see but heard God’s small voice at Mt. Herob in front of the burning bush, Elijah recognized the presence of God by him in His whisper. Just as Moses overcame his fear of Egypt upon listening to God in His small voice by the burning bush and return to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from there on God’s behalf, Elijah, upon listening to God, came out of the cave, moved on, and found Elisha as his collaborator and later as his successor (1 Kings 19:19). God’s small voice strengthened the faith of Moses and the faith of Elijah, moving them out of their hiding in fear to do more works for God, in spite of the great risks of persecution.

In the Second Reading (Romans 9:1-5), Paul echoes what Elijah lamented about the faith of the Israelites in 1 Kings 19:10, 14. Just as Elijah decried how the Israelites abandoned their faith in Yahweh the Elohim, Paul decried how his fellow country men rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah, though he is also their fellow country man. It really hurts Paul, who was Jew, to have found his fellow Jews not to believe Jesus Christ as the Messiah to fulfill all the covenants that Yahweh had made with the Israelites throughout the time of the Old Testament. So, Paul indicates that now the benefits of salvation through the fulfillment of all the Old Testament covenants, the Christ, are now extended to the Gentiles. So, here we are! Though we are not born as Jews, we have been adopted by Yahewh (Galatians 4:4–5) and Paul actually has thought this was predestined (Ephesians 1:5).

Not recognizing God in Christ, the Son, among the Israelits is what Paul decried for.

Then, the Gospel Reading (Matthew 14:22-33) reflects the disciples’ inabilities to recognize their Lord, Jesus, in the stormy sea of Galilee.

Though Jesus needed to grieve over the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, the crowds kept chasing him. So out of his compassion, Jesus took care of their needs ahead of his own. This includes the miraculous feeding the great multitudes more than 5,000 out of five loaves of bread and two fish, as reflected in the Gospel Reading for the 18^th Sunday (Matthew 14:13-21). Upon feeding them and completely taking care of the needs of the crowds, Jesus sent them back. And, he finally found a time to pray. In the meantime, he sent his disciples to go ahead of him through the Sea of Galilee. It was like Jesus telling the disciples, “Hey guys, you know I did not get a chance to pray because I got so busy taking care of the crowds. And, thanks for helping me to feed them. Now, I’ve got to pray and you guys can go ahead. And I will catch up with you soon”. So, while Jesus was praying alone, the disciples started sailing across the Sea of Galilee. Then, sailing was challenged by storm, with choppy water and strong winds. It sure was not easy to sail. But, this time, the storm was not what they were afraid of (cf. Matthew 8:23-27) but the object of their fear this time was a man walking on the water, coming toward them, in the storm. Unbeknownst to them, the man walking on the water, was Jesus. But, they were unable to recognize him. They thought he was a ghost or something (v. 26). In response, Jesus said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”(v.27). Well, Peter did not seem to believe Jesus and had to test him by asking, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water”(v.28). So, Jesus invited Peter to come towards him on the water, and surprisingly, Peter was able to walk on the water – until hit by strong wind and his attention shifted from Jesus on the water to the storm. At that moment of the shift of attention, fear overwhelmed him and he lost his ability to walk on the water and began sinking and cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!”(v. 30). Then Jesus rebuked Peter’s weak faith, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”(v.31, cf. 8:26) but rescued him. And this resulted in the disciples recognizing Jesus as “truly the Son of God”(v.33).

The weak faith of the disciples prevented them from recognizing Jesus, walking on the choppy water. Peter’s little faith was easily swayed by the winds and allowed fear to dominate. The Israelites of Paul’s contemporary were unable to recognize Jesus as Christ the Messiah. But, Elijah strengthened his faith as a result of recognizing God’s presence, speaking to him in whisper, similar to how Moses’ faith was strengthened by God’s small voice by the burning bush.

Based on the above readings for the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), we can challenge ourselves, how we recognize God’s presence, especially amidst our distress. Does the storm of our life make it too nosy for us to recognize God’s whisper or small voice?  Does the storm of our life puts us in fear, thus, losing our focus on God?

Our priority in life is God. Otherwise, why we are Christians? God the Father has sent His only begotten Son, as Jesus, in the human flesh, to draw us closer to Him. Our pathway to the Father was through Jesus, the Christ (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:18). But, Satan will continue to send noises and storms to distract our attention from God in Christ. So, how can we fight this and keep our eyes on Christ all the time? Are we ready to be trained for navigating the stormy sea with the most trusted compass in us: faith in Christ?

Fixing our eyes on Christ, keeping Christ as the center of our life, means to keep our faith steadfast and being able to recognize God in all situations. Now, where do you find God to strengthen your faith? You are responsible for this question for the sake of your faith.

亡き父と花と虫

八月三日はこの世を去って既に三十七年経つ私の父の誕生日でした。今でも生きていれば今年、八十三歳になっていました。父についての思い出は沢山あるのですが、学生時代、お目当ての珍しい昆虫を採集し標本にする為、大阪から汽車で２８時間もかけて鹿児島まで行ったというほどの虫への凝り性の父の影響もあり、私自身、小学生の頃の夏休みは父の実家からそれほど遠くない豊中丘陵にまだ残っていた林でクワガタ虫をお目当てに朝早くから父と昆虫採集の“探検”に出かけていました。当時の豊中丘陵、結構沢山の昆虫が採取できたものです。

こうして虫と相性がいいような父でしたが、私の妹に関しては虫への見方は寧ろなかり違ったものでした。そうです、いくら虫好きの父とはいえ、娘を持てば、虫よりも大切なものがあり、そして、それを虫から守ろうとしたのです。

妹が中学生になって色気付いてきた頃、水面下で致命的な肺ガンが既に進行していたもののまだ表面上では元気だった父が、妹を心配して、“悪い虫”がつかないようにしっかりと見守らないといけない、と母に言ってたことを覚えています。父は妹を眼に入れても痛くないほどかわいがっていたので、害虫から守ってあげないといけない綺麗な花に例えてそう言ったのでしょう。そして、案の定、妹をお目当てにわざわざうちまで電話してくる男の子に対する父の対応は、あたかも除虫剤を散布するかの如く、“うちの娘に何の用だ？”といったような拒絶的な対応で、大抵の男の子達はそのまま電話を切ってしまったようです。父からみれば“これでいいのだ”だったのでしょうが、妹を追い求めていた男の子達にとっては妹を一層高嶺の花にしてしまったことでしょう。そして、当時の私も、電話のベルが鳴って取ってみたら、かけてきたのは妹を目当てにしている妹の同級生からだと分ると、父のような声で“何のようだ？”、といった“防虫剤的”対応をした事があります。ところが妹が私がこうして父のまねをして妹を虫達から守ろうとしていることに気が付くと、“兄ちゃん、そんなことせんといて！”、と迷惑がられ釘を刺されました。

勿論、当時はまだ昭和５０年代半ばで、バブル好景気の前でもあり、スマホどころか携帯電話もまだ一般は普及しておらず、インターネットもまだ無かったので、スマホが当たり前の今の年頃の中高生にとって想像し難いことかもしれません。当時、留守番電話がまだ珍しかった時代ですから。

今では自分のスマホのおかげて好きな彼女に直接電話して、彼女のお父さんかお母さんに取り次いでもらうなんて馬鹿馬鹿しく思えるでしょう。しかし、妹や私が中高生の頃は皆、そうだったのです。実は私もお目当ての女の子の家に彼女と話す為に電話したときは何時も緊張して、彼女のお父様に取り次いでもらうようであれば私の父のような対応をされるのだろうかと不安に感じたことを覚えています。緊、張しながらダイヤル回して、“あの、OOさんのお宅でしょうか？夜分のお電話失礼いたします。OOさんと同級の仲田と申します。OOさん、ご在宅でしょうか？”なんていった感じでかけたものです。そして、私の場合、取り次いでくれたのはいつも彼女のお母様で、“除虫剤”をふっけられた“虫”のように取り扱われることはまったくなく、“OOにどのようなご用件ですか？”なんて聞かれることもなく、すんなりと取り次いでくださり、たまに、“ああ、仲田君？OO、まだ帰っておりませんの。帰ってきたら電話させましょうか？”なんていわれることもありました。OOさんのお母様、とてもご理解のある方で、どうやら私はラッキーでした。

さて、かわいい妹を綺麗な花に例えて虫がつなないようにと妹を目当てに寄り付こうとする男の子達から守ろうとする在りし日の父ですが、いくら綺麗な花を守る為に虫を寄り付けないようにし続けると、受粉に支障が生じかねないので実を結ばないのではないかという心配があります。しかし、父にしてみれば、当時の妹はまだまだ“受粉”の適齢期ではなかったので何としてでも膨らみはじめたような蕾のような妹を虫達から遠ざけたかったのでしょう。かわいい娘に対する父の愛とは、手塩にかけて育てている綺麗な花を何が何でも虫から守り、そうすることで“受粉”の適齢期になれば“害虫”ではなく最適の“益虫”とだけ出会うことでいい実を結ぶことがことができると願う心に相通ずるものなのでしょう。

今は亡き私の父、筋金入りの昆虫愛好家であり少年時代の私にも虫を楽しむことを伝授してくれたものの、妹が思春期に入り、女性としての魅力を開花させる為の蕾が膨らみはじめると虫は寧ろ厄介で心配の対象となってしまい、妹に対する防虫策に熱を入れていました。当時の父は昆虫愛好家から妹という花を守る為に防虫の専門家と転じてしまいました。それだけに、父は妹が受粉の為に女性として美しい花を咲かせ、最適の益虫と出会い、実を結ぶことをどれだけ楽しみにしていたことでしょう。しかし、肺ガンの為、妹の開花も最適の益虫との出会いをも見ることもなく、まだ蕾の頃にこの世を去らざるを得ない羽目になってしまいました。

とはいえ、父が去ってから幾つかの益虫とおもわれる虫と遭遇した妹という花も、まだ瑞々しく咲いている間に無事に最適の益虫と出会い、とてもいい結婚生活の実を結ぶことができました。父は向こう岸でこのことを見届け、安心し、喜んでいることでしょう。かく言う兄の私も、妹が善き夫と結ばれ、二人の結婚生活年数も父が死ぬまでの母との結婚生活年数を既にこえたことを喜んでいます。妹が運命の虫との結婚生活を続けている一方、私は父と私だけが共有する妹や母が知らない虫への興味を今でもずっと大切にし続けています。今でも父がまだ元気に生きていたならば、父と二人で新幹線で鹿児島まで行き、学生時代の父が大阪から汽車で２８時間かけてまで追い求めた珍しい虫を改めて探しに行きたいものです。勿論、妹が結ばれた運命の益虫、つまり、妹の夫、も虫に興味があれば、父と妹の夫と私の三人水入らずでの旅ができたことでしょう。

Multiplication of Loaves and Fish in Galilee, the Eucharist, and Heavenly Banquets for the Consummation of the Kingdom – Readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A

An important theme drawn from the Scripture Readings for the 18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time on Cycle A (Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew 14:13-21) is how God provides us with what we need out of His steadfast love and abounding mercy for our sustenance. More importantly, it is how God can provide when there seems no way to provide. And God provides us with sustenance. The refrain of the Responsorial Psalm, based on Psalm 145:16 is: The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. And the rest of the Responsorial Psalm reminds us that it is because of His steadfast love and abounding mercy.

During the bitter time of the Babylonian Exile (597 BC-538BC), the Israelites in captivity far from home were downtrodden and mourning, as reflected in Psalm 137. To this God responded with love and mercy. So, God inspired Deutero-Isaiah to speak to the Israelites of His providence and an everlasting covenant promised to David, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 55:1-3). It provided a beacon of hope for the Israelites in Exile. But, the spirit of this promise of His providence for sustenance and a new everlasting covenant was implied to Christ, whom He sent out of love (John 3:16). So, echoing this First Reading, the Gospel Reading (Matthew 14:13-21) describes how Jesus, who is God in Christ, provided the great multitudes of at least 5,000 with more than enough food out of mere five loaves of bread and two fish. As a result, nobody was left hungry, since everyone was content.

The crowd can be compared to the Israelites in Exile. They seemed to have nowhere to go while being hungry. They were displaced and unsettled and drifting with no certain direction. That is why Jesus likened them to sheep without shepherd (Mark 6:34). So, they kept chasing Jesus upon seeing him, seeking sustenance, even though he needed to be alone to mourn the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, who baptized him to start his public ministry to bring the Good News in proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven. Obviously, Jesus set aside his own needs to grieve when he saw the crowds with his compassion. In the original Greek text, the word used for Jesus’ response with compassion is “σπλαγχνίζομαι”(splagchnizomai) (Matthew 14:14). This is a powerful verb to literally indicate the shared pathos strong enough to shake internal organs, in defining compassion. Thus, compassion is a visceral experience.

So, Jesus took care of them, curing the sick. But when evening time came, the disciples, who just returned from their mission, wanted the crowd to be sent home. This way, they could be with Jesus, to speak about their missionary experience. Also, Jesus needed to rest in the evening, since he was busy curing the sick among the crowd. However, after curing, Jesus wanted to feed them, even though his disciples only had five loaves of bread and two fish.  To us, just as the disciples felt, there is no way to feed a crowd as big as 5,000 and more, out of such a meager amount of food. However, to God, there is nothing impossible, as He made the virgin pregnant (Luke 1:37). When God wills, it happens accordingly. Thus, out of deep compassion, Jesus willed to multiply the five loaves of bread and two fish to satisfy the hungry crowd of great multitudes. And so it happened, and the disciples served the crowds. In fact, Jesus provided the crowd more than what they needed to eat. It indicates that God’s love and mercy are abounding and abundant. Therefore, God’s providence is far greater than we can think. After all, He is God.

The Second Reading (Romans 8:35, 37-39) reminds that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ. It means that God’s providence is always available to us as it is a manifestation of God’s love. We are not cut off from God’s love in Christ, and Christ provides with God’s love, according to the will of the Father.

The feeding of the great multitudes over 5,000, described in the Gospel Reading, is an example of God’s providence, in which God’s love and mercy manifested. In fact, this is considered as a prototype of the Eucharist as the Holy Communion. See how Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish to feed the great crowds and how Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as the Holy Communion during Last Supper by comparing these verses:

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.  Matthew 14:19

Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.   Matthew 26:26-28

On both occasions, Jesus took, blessed, broke, and gave the bread for distribution. And, this is also the pattern how the Body of Christ in the communion bread is handled during the Eucharistic Prayer by a presiding priest, who is in persona Christi.

Also, Jesus’ act of multiplying a scant amount of loaves and fish to feed the great multitudes in Galilee bears what Elisha with 20 loaves to feed people of unspecified number (2 Kings 4:42-44).  In multiplying bread, Elijah reminded: They will eat and have some left over (2 Kings 4:43). And, this was also the case when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed the great crowds in Galilee (Matthew 14:20).

God’s providence is greater than what we can take as there is some leftover, which is carefully collected and not wasted. This reminds that God’s providence is greater than we can receive at a time, as God’s love and mercy are greater than we think.  God is not a minimalist when it comes to His providence. And, He does not charge money and reject anyone who come and seek his providence.

Furthermore, the implication of the multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed the great crowds in Galilee goes beyond the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In fact, this points to the heavenly wedding banquet, celebrating the matrimonial union of Christ and his bride, the Church, for which those who are blessed to enter into the New Heaven and Earth upon consummation of the Kingdom of Heaven (Revelation 19:6-10), as well as the great feast over the conquered enemies of Christ (Revelation 19:17-18; cf. Psalm 23:5).

Being able to eat what God provides means being in God’s domain and being attached to God’s love, from which we cannot be separated, unless we continue to sin and turn into enemies of Christ. Though our ancestors, Adam and Eve, defied God by falling to the temptation of Satan, since God is so loving and merciful, we have never been totally separated from His love, though the eviction from Eden symbolizes a separating distance from God. And, throughout history, God has been consistent in His efforts to redeem us. When this redemption completes, the Kingdom is consummated and the New Heaven and Earth finally become reality through Christ’s matrimonial union with the Church.  Prototyped by Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and fish for the great crowds in Galilee, the distribution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Corporis et Sanguinis Christi, leads us to the heavenly wedding banquets: Revelation 19:6-10; 17-18, before entering into the reality of the New Heaven and Earth.

Ever since God created humans and placed Adam and Eve in Eden, God has been providing us with what we need to sustain our lives (Genesis 2:9). Being in Eden meant to be in God’s intimate domain and everything weMat need was provided. Nothing was insufficient in Eden. However, we have lost this domain of God’s providence when the fall of Adam and Eve resulted in the eviction from Eden and the loss of the access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). Thereafter, suffering and death entered the humanity (Romans 6:23; cf. Genesis 2:17) as the loss of the tree of life resulted in struggles to gain food for sustenance.

Though we have to bear this consequence of the loss of the tree of life due to the fall of Adam and Eve, God has not abandoned us in starvation, because of his steadfast love and mercy, which is another running theme for the Scripture Readings for the 18^th Sunday and sung in the Responsorial Psalm.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.  Psalm 145:8-9

So, God provided the family of Jacob during the famine (Genesis 41:46-44:34) and the Israelites during the Exodus (Exodus 16:1-18), because He is of loving-kindness and mercy. Then, in the fullness of time, God Godself made His way to us through incarnation of the Logos-Theos in the human flesh of Jesus to be in the close proximity by dwelling among us (John 1:1, 14), sending His Son out of love (John 3:16). And, this was not just dwell among us but to offer Godself in Jesus, the Christ, the Son, in his flesh and blood as the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Corporis et Sanguinis Christi (John 6:22-71 cf. Matthew 26:26–28 //Mark 14:22–24// Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25). The fact that baby Jesus was placed in a manger (Luke 2:7) as he was meant to be the food of life for us.

As long as we are in the state of grace, God Godself in Christ, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, is available to us as God’s providence, leading our salvation, redeemed to enter into the New Heaven and Earth, far greater than the lost Eden. The multiplication of the loaves and fish for the great crowds is a prototype of the multiplication of God’s very body in the species of bread, broken to be multiplied, just as a grain of wheat to die on the ground to bring greater multitudes of harvest (John 12:24). As God’s love in Christ is inseparably binding to us (Romans 8:39), the Body of Christ is always available, keeping us in God’s proximity and drawing us to be in him and him in us (John 14:20) in order for us to be one with each other and one with Christ, as the Son and the Father are so (John 17:21).