The Gospel for Tuesday after Epiphanies taken from Mark 6:34. When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late, and his disciples approached him and said, this is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat. He said to them, reply, give them some food yourselves.

But they said to him, are we to buy 200 days wages worth of food and give it to them to eat? He asked them, how many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they had found out, they said, five loaves and two fish. So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows, by hundreds and by fifties.

Then taking the loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven. He said the blessing, broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up 12 wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were 5,000.

This is the only miracle found in all four of the Gospels. And I think it’s because it is such a beautiful image of what the kingdom of God is really like. God comes into our life in the form of a spirit. Jesus is the model. And when we are filled with this Holy Spirit, we are able to do things beyond our imagining. And the most important thing I think it’s saying about the kingdom of God is it’s about abundance.

Not just a little nourishment, but more nourishment than anyone could imagine. It’s the Holy Spirit that is described as that thing. That is the blessing that we receive. And having received it, our work, our being with one another, becomes abundantly nurturing and life giving. What a great gift God has given us. The model is Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is the power. After the music, I will close with a prayer. Sa. Sat sat. Closing prayer. Father, we look at situations in our life and we see them as almost impossible to handle.

And yet you’re telling us if we allow the Blessed Spirit to enter into our life, we are able to do so much more than we could ever imagine. Because it’s not just us doing it. It’s your love, your healing, your wisdom flowing through us, enabling us to establish the kingdom of God. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.