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.