Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 17:1-7, 15 • Isaiah 55:1-5 and Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 • Romans 9:1-5 • Matthew 14:13-21
This week's Old Testament reading is the nocturnal wrestling match between Jacob and what some commentators say is God, others an angel, and a few, a demon. The Rev. Kate Matthews, in her excellent Reflection titled "Struggle,"shares many perspectives from different commentators and offers her own thoughts. What are your thoughts about "struggle," with your faith, fears, doubts, failures - you name it. Even with struggle, in our journey with Jacob, we see the amazing and wonderful persistence of blessing/ I commend this article to your reading.
There is an ancient Greek proverb: Καλεπα τά καλα: "Beautiful things are difficult," translated in a practical sense: "naught (nothing) without labor." Does this relate to our reading from Genesis?
And then there is the gospel account of a tired Jesus, wanting to get away from it all, but moved with compassion for them he healed them, and with their own 5 loaves and fishes, he fed them, and taught them, and us, how to feed the hungry - those hungry for bread, for love, for mercy, for answers, for forgiveness, and hope. Hungry for life, and the abundance of life which God offers. In Jesus, and each other, we can see the face of God. If only we care to look.
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