When Free Means Free

~~~Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time~~~

~~~ Isaiah 55:1-3 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Romans 8:35, 37-39 ~~~ 

~~~Matthew 14:13-21 ~~~

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,

he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. 

Jesus had known John the Baptist his whole life...

they were cousins...they were friends.

Jesus withdrew in a boat where he could grieve in privacy.

In his grief Jesus experienced tremendous compassion.

People came to the beach front. They came to the water.

They wanted to hear his inspired words.

His deserted place turned out to be the place 

of the great miracle of the loaves and the fish.

He fed more than five thousand that day. 

They freely come. They pay no money. No one is turned away.

All are welcome...all are fed.

They have no lengthy paperwork to fill out before eating.

They do not have to prove they are deserving of the bread and fish.

Jesus invites us all to come; all who are thirsty,

all who are hungry.

...listen, that you may have life.

I will renew with you the everlasting covenant...

Jesus keeps on giving. 

The stream of cool water never runs dry.

The basket of bread never appears empty.

There is always plenty of leftovers.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs...

Nothing can keep us from the love of God.

He is rich in goodness and kindness.

We are all invited to come...to freely partake
of the goodness of the Lord.

Have you ever rejected something offered to you for 'free'?
I have, because it was something I did not need or I did not want.

This is close to what happens when someone passes up
the invitation from Jesus to Come to him. 

If you were thirsty would turn down
 a cup of water offered to you?

Those who reject Jesus' offer may not be rejecting him
they may not be able to identify
that they are even thirsty.

God Blesses us with his miracles;
they are free of charge.
The deserted place turned into a place of plenty...
a place where love is nourished...
a place where grace and compassion flow freely.
~~~Peace~~~