SPEAKER_00 0:00

Leftovers, 12 baskets of leftovers. And not to mention that we call it the feeding of the 5,000, but Matthew's version today tells us that it was 5,000 men, plus the women and children besides. The possibility that this was at least double that, the feeding of the 10,000, is not out of the question. So what do we do with a miracle that we've heard about a million times? We can look at various ways to understand it, theological bases, the nature of miracles. But this year I find myself coming back again and again to the story of stone soup. Do you remember it? Some travelers come to a village carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. And upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the very hungry travelers. So the travelers go to a stream and they fill their pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. And the travelers answer that they are making stone soup, which tastes wonderful and which they'd be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs just a little bit of garnish, which they're missing to improve the flavor. The villager, who then anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so they're added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the traveler again mentions their stone soup, which has not yet reached its full potential. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient: potatoes and onions, cabbages and peas and celery and tomatoes, meats and milks and butter and salt and pepper. And finally, the stone is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing bowl of soup is enjoyed by all of the travelers and villagers alike. Now, maybe this kind of story is what happened that day with Jesus on the hillside with all these people. Maybe not. There's no way to know. But it is interesting that Jesus put them all in a position to have to look to one another. He doesn't send them home for supper as anyone else typically would. In fact, the disciples know that that's what would be the usual, so they're urging him to send them home because they know suppertime is coming near. But he tells them, you give them something to eat. And you can sort of imagine the scene. They're astonished disciples fretting and huddling up while Jesus settles in to do a bit more teaching. Maybe it was a few of the people over that are overhear them having that conversation. And so they feel bad for those disciples, and they look in whatever bag they're carrying and pull out a little bit that they have: a loaf of bread, some smoked fish. But the disciples are also looking up at a whole hillside of people, literally thousands upon thousands of people. What will they do? What will all these people eat? One can also imagine that the cooks of each household who were gathered there that day, most likely the women, might have been getting a little nervous as the mealtime approached too, their minds naturally becoming divided between the teaching that they were hearing and the meal they knew they would need to provide for a hungry household upon their return home. So when there was this little hush through the crowd as Jesus took the meager amount that the disciples had laid hands on and was blessing these five loaves of bread and these two fish, ostensibly in preparation to share it with the people, those cooks of the household must have been at least incredulous, right? Not in an unkind way, but in a way that means they know what it is to cook for a crowd. And this wasn't gonna do it. So it's not hard to imagine that they too then started digging in their own bags to see what they might have to spare. Someone finds a couple apples, someone's got some dates or olives, someone's got some cheese or some bread, a bunch of folks might have some smoked fish too. Some folks add some wine to the pile or vegetables, and all of a sudden, but maybe not all of a sudden at all. There's plenty. There's plenty for everyone. And people are breaking bread together who might never have met before. Small circles of people start gathering up, chatter and laughter begin, and all because Jesus took what was there, blessed it in front of all of them to see, and then trusted the community to make it multiply. Is this the miracle that happened? I don't know. But it does feel like a miracle I can understand, and maybe even try and replicate in my own life. And it feels like a miracle that Jesus might understand is important for us to participate in. I recently saw a video online. I'm remiss not to recall who the speaker of it was, but he was talking about this present-day mindset that sounds like this. You don't owe anyone anything. And I think that mindset comes from a place of trying to set healthy boundaries and not bend over backwards for every darn thing at your own expense. So I get it. It can be important to try and find balance between serving your needs and the needs of others. But what the speaker went on to say is that we also need to flip that script and zoom up and out. Because in actuality, as humans, we owe each other everything. We have not stood as an island and the world has improved itself without us. It has been when we banded together, when we worked hard, when we linked arms and fought like hell together, that things have really improved collectively for humankind. Does that mean dark times don't come? That selfishness doesn't rear up in all of us, that there are those who also enact evil upon others too? Of course not. But I would wager that it's always the darkest when we're alone. When we're alone or isolated, that's when we get the most selfish. That's when evil seems like a worthwhile option. But when we find each other in the dark and we decide to work together and to get a little braver and to get a little bolder, a hand to hold might be all we need to keep becoming who it is we're meant to be. And whether that hand belongs to family or chosen family, to friends, to fellow congregants, or whoever it might be, we are always better off together. We are stronger together. We are more able together. This world we're in right now keeps trying to divide us and make us feel like we are alone. It is trying to make us turn on each other instead of remembering that we're all just neighbors, that we all need each other, and that we all owe each other everything. Living this way means we have to trust. We have to look around at the need we see, and then choose to reach into our bags to pull out what we can share with the communities we are a part of. And then trust that that too will embolden others to reach into their stores and share what they have for the sake of the whole, too. You can lead the way, you know. You can teach the way because Jesus taught us the way. From a little can come not just enough, but plenty. So if we put in our part, it will make a difference. And whatever is the contribution we can make to the stone soup is exactly what will be needed. So we come to learn to share it freely, knowing it'll be put to good use because the whole needs it. No one hoarded what was being shared in their group, which means that those twelve baskets could be used to feed even more folks, those who weren't even on the hillside that day being taught by Jesus. Which means that the love and blessing of Jesus stretches so much further than we can even see when we're in that moment of choosing to share what we have. The good news that goes beyond our eyesight and makes a difference again and again, encouraging others to contribute to, showing them that the way of life that comes when we acknowledge the gifts we've been given and share other share ours as well. This is what it can be to love our neighbors. This is what it can be to help make the miracles that Jesus initiates. So the question is, what will you put in the soup, my friends? What will you bring to the table where we break bread together trusting that what you bring is enough? Even if it feels meager to us, it will be enough to nourish others. It will be enough to spread the good news. It will be enough to make a difference in this hurting world of ours. So let us feed the world together, my friends, because we owe each other everything. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty.

SPEAKER_02 12:30

We need all spirit, the Lord, the Father and Son, with the High Son, he's worshiped and glorified, and so in the house.

unknown 12:45

We believe that solid church.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Let us intercede for the needs of all the human family, saying, Lord have mercy. For the universal church, many members but one body, that God may gather it together from the ends of the earth, safeguard its unity, and perfect it in love. Let us pray to the Lord. Okay. For the holy church of God, that it may be filled with truth and love and be found without fault at the day of your coming. We pray to you, O God. Lord, have mercy. For Sean, our presiding bishop, for Jennifer, our own bishop, and for all bishops, other ministers, and for all the people of God, we pray to you, O Lord. For the mission of the church, that in faithful witness it may preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, we pray to you, O Lord. For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and forbearance may grow among nations and peoples, we pray to you, O Lord. For those in positions of public trust, especially Donald, our President, his cabinet, the Congress, and the Supreme Court, that they may serve justice and promote the dignity and freedom of every person. We pray to you, O Lord. For the poor and the persecuted, the sick and all who suffer for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger, that they may be relieved and protected. We pray to you, O Lord. For all who have died in the communion of your church, and those whose faith is known to you alone, that with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal. We pray to you, O Lord. Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves in one another in all our life to Christ our God.

SPEAKER_03 16:15

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Most merciful God.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

Amen. Dear friends in Christ, the peace of the Lord be always with you. Please greet one another in the name of our Christ. Welcome to Trinity Cathedral. It's a privilege to have you here today. My name is Erica von Haran, and I serve as the Dean, and it is just a joy to get to worship with you today. If you are new amongst us, a special welcome to you today. Thank you so much for choosing to be here. Please know that you are invited to participate fully in our service. In a few moments, we'll receive Holy Communion, and all who are gathered here today are welcome to receive the bread and wine made holy. There's some instructions on the front of our bulletin about how we do that, but you can also ask a neighbor. They'll be helpful, I promise. And if you'd like to learn more about Trinity, there's cards in the pew rack in front of you. Pardon me. Cards in the pew rack in front of you. If you fill one out and put it in the offering plate or hand it to one of the clergy, we'd love to get in touch with you this week and see how we can help you feel at home here. Thank you so much for choosing to be here. A few announcements to be aware of. But first I gotta get this frog out of my throat. Better. Okay. So uh first things first, uh happy back to school week, uh primarily to parents, but also to the children too. I don't know about you, but I love a routine and it's back.