As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." Matthew 14:15
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." Matthew 15:23
A comedian was once talking with his audience about his experience fathering children. He had two daughters but he and his wife also wanted a son, so as his old football coach had taught him, he did. “Keep running that play until you get it right.” They eventually got their son but also more children than they had planned at the start.
Jesus seems to know that his disciples need repetition and he appears to run the same play once again. Just before the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples see large crowds and assess the situation. It is late, they are in a barren place with no resources, and it is dinner time. Their solution? “Send the crowds away!” Jesus then teaches them about the power of God to turn scarcity into abundance. Five thousand men plus women and children are fed, and twelve baskets of leftovers are collected for the local food pantry. Jesus cares for body and soul. Jesus cares for everyone because God cares for everyone, and there is more than enough.
Did they understand? Do we?
I wonder because the travel narrative continues with Jesus and his crew venturing to Gentile turf where a Canaanite woman (read: unclean outsider Gentile and a woman at that) comes asking for help. One of our Lectionary Bible Study members thought that she had perhaps been part of that earlier crowd. The Canaanite woman obviously knows something about Jesus since she calls him Lord and Son of David and has faith his healing power. But it looks like the disciples are just annoyed by her presence. “Sheesh, a loud unclean Gentile and a woman at that. She does not belong here. Send her away!” Did they not understand who Jesus is? Did they already forget what happened the last time they uttered those words? I think this woman likely was at the earlier feeding or she received some of the leftovers because she speaks of crumbs falling from the master’s table. She says that she will humbly take those crumbs. Contrary to the disciples, Jesus does not send her away.
You see, Jesus is in the reconciliation business. He is in the business of reconciling us to God and us to each other. As he shows us God’s care for the body and souls of all people, he is also showing us the care that we should have for each other. There are numerous ways of doing that, of course, and we do so at Good Shepherd with feeding and meal ministries, visitations to the sick, prayer and prayer shawls, phone calls and cards and so forth. But reconciliation extends beyond that. Reconciliation also means that we seek to heal our political and cultural divisions remembering that in God’s Kingdom there are no unclean outsiders, no one to be cast out or sent away because of their views or actions. There is plenty of room for everyone at the Lord’s table, plenty of grace for everyone, and even twelve baskets full and crumbs on the floor for anyone who missed the first call to supper.
We should remember that in the end Jesus’ desire for us to be reconciled to God and each other led him to stretch wide his arms and embrace all people and the whole of God’s creation. It is that heart of welcome and inclusion, and of reconciliation, that is the image of God we should strive for. As imperfect people, our striving toward this will always remain imperfect, but I believe Jesus showed us these things because he thought how we live as citizens and ambassadors of God’s Kingdom matters both for us and for the world watching what those Christians are doing and failing to do.
Grace and peace,
Fr. Bill+