Sunday next before Advent (and Thanksgiving)- John 6:32,35

On the calendar, today is several things. It is the last Sunday after Trinity, the last Sunday of the church year, the Sunday before the American Harvest Thanksgiving and the Sunday before Advent and a new church year. The traditional gospel appointed for this Sunday is the feeding of the 5000. All four gospels record this miracle. So it must be of special importance, and reading it on this Sunday is of added significance.

The central point in the account is what Jesus does. He takes the bread, gives thanks and breaks it up for distribution. He does likewise for the fish. The result is abundant nourishment for all present, plus a great many leftovers saved for others.

We should notice that the Greek verb “to give thanks” is the same root as the Eucharist, the ancient and widespread name for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. We should also remember that later in this same chapter Jesus calls Himself “the true bread from heaven” and “the bread of life” (John 6:32, 35).

Furthermore, early Christian inscriptions indicate that the fish became a common symbol for Christ. The letters of the Greek word for “fish” represent the phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” So early readers of John would see that, in addition to the physical miracle of feeding the hungry, Jesus is also offering Himself, His spiritual essence, to people. And this spiritual nourishment is also abundant.

Although satisfying physical hunger and bodily needs is good action which should not be neglected, Jesus does even more. Through His grace and our faith, He satisfies the deepest spiritual hungers and longings of all human beings. He feeds souls through His words, His actions and His presence. He reaches out through Scripture, Sacrament, and His spiritual presence in prayer to nourish us.

So today and all this week, I urge you to keep a Scriptural and Prayer Book perspective on the giving of thanks. Of course, we are physical creatures who depend upon sustenance, clothing and shelter in this world. God has provided and continues to provide much in this area of life, and it is right that we should pause and give thanks. Yet, we also need a higher perspective. Beyond our physical needs, there are also spiritual needs. God has provided and continues to provide on the spiritual level as well. We should give thanks for spiritual gifts as well as for material gifts at this time of year.

The Anglicanism of John Wesley

Early today, I came across a documentary online entitled "John Wesley: The Faith That Sparked The Methodist Movement." This interesting treatment reminded me of my religious background. I grew up in a rural southern area where the only mainline church was Methodist. While studying Methodism, I became acquainted with the Wesley family's Anglican background (as well as the background of much of my own family).

Of course, John Wesley was an Anglican priest and remained so even as "patriarch" of the Methodist movement. Despite his issues with some establishment tendencies, Wesley still valued the Anglican way. The societies that he organized were originally small groups meant to function within the Church of England at home and abroad. Although his preaching was rooted in his study of Scripture, many of his sermons might also be considered eighteenth-century adaptations of the sixteenth-century Anglican Books of Homilies. He loved the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and when, in 1784, he suggested worship practices for his newly independent American followers, he sent a simplified version of the Prayer Book. He also provided a basic theological confession in the Methodist Twenty-Five Articles of Religion, based on the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles. 

At the same time, Wesley valued the Gospel and matters of salvation above all. He saw that the Church of England of his time was not meeting the spiritual and human needs of many of its constituents. He wanted people to hear the gospel of grace, the message of salvation through Christ, even when it meant preaching outside of established churches and using lay preachers. He also worked to ensure that people had religious education, literacy instruction, medical care, and so on. Wesley continued to resist the idea of separation from official Anglicanism, but he also felt bound to follow his personal calling and responsibilities.

All of John Wesley's theological opinions are not compatible with Anglican tradition, but Wesley remains a valuable witness to Anglicans and other Christians. External unity and organizational loyalty have their value, but Christians also have higher concerns. The truth of Christ's gospel must be preached and believers must be nourished and given pastoral care even when church structures are weak or corrupt.

Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity

The Gospel for this Sunday (John 4:46-54) is the second Galilean miracle in St. John's account. A "nobleman" or "official" wants Jesus to come and heal his critically ill son. Our Lord does not agree to come. Instead, He comments on the popular desire for outward signs and assures the man that his son will live. On this occasion, two points strike me about this story.

First, there are a variety of different ways that God's healing power and grace work through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, the person healed is in Jesus' immediate presence; sometimes the person is at some distance. There may or may not be a conversation with the person. There may or may not be a declaration of forgiveness of sin. There may be a healing touch (or in one case mud and spittle). This time, there is simply a word from Jesus, a declaration that the father's prayer for his son is answered. This can serve as a reminder that God in Christ can use various means to reach out in His grace. In this particular case, a simple word suffices.

Secondly, there is the faith of the father. The official makes a specific request but does not protest when Jesus tells him that the healing is already taking place. Despite his high social rank, he responds with humble trust in Christ. He believes that Jesus can do what He says. That is a beginning faith. Yet, there is also a further step. When news reaches the official that his son has been healed, the man believes again, along with his household. This is a more general faith that Jesus is the Savior sent by God. Likewise, we can believe in different stages. Sometimes, we have little bits of faith on particular issues, but we need to keep growing in faith and develop a fuller understanding of God's work in Christ.