Kaytlynn Saunders (Age 16)
Christ Episcopal Church
Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Proper 13) - August 2, 2009 [Youth Sunday]
Make us peacemakers, O Lord, that we may be called children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. May we never suffer calamities, never fear temptation. When the struggle is over, may we rest in the peace of God, the peace of utter tranquility, through our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Being the youngest of three children, I have often found myself in situations where I wasn't allowed to do something that my brothers were allowed to do. I wasn't supposed to use big kid scissors, or ride my bike without training wheels. I had to wait until I was big enough, or I had enough experience riding that bike without falling over.
But like all children, I was always thinking of ways to make myself seem older, taller, or smarter. Once, when I was 3, I even talked Kyle into taking off those training wheels. I had it in my mind that if I could show mommy and daddy that I could ride a bike, they would let me do what my big brothers got to do. Need less to say, that didn't go so well. I ended up head over heals over the handlebars and face-planted into the concrete.
Even though I got in trouble for doing all of these things, I knew that my parents still loved me. They taught me that I should be patient and wait for what is to come, instead of just rushing ahead and getting hurt.
In the Gospel reading today, Jesus' followers seemed about as patient as I was. They were looking for the material things in their life that showed them that Jesus was the son of God.
They were so focused on the bread that filled their stomachs, that they ignored the true reason why Jesus was there... to teach them, and to show them that God is always there like a mother or father to love them – unconditionally.
When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, Jesus tried to explain to them why they had come looking for him. Like any impatient child the people asked question after question. Even after Jesus had tried explain it all to them, they still needed proof. They needed something that they could see and understand from experience.
Just like me, trying to understand why I couldn't do the things that my brothers did. It was Jesus that helped them understand. Jesus explained to them that God was the one that gave their ancestors manna from heaven, not Moses. And it is God who gives them the true bread now, that bread being one that sustains life... Jesus... who God delivers to the world for all of us.
After the people had heard what Jesus said they believed him and asked for that bread always. Jesus says to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
If we are patient and believe that Jesus will feed our minds, bodies, and souls, with the bread of life, then we can open our eyes to many things.
We have an opportunity today to come receive the bread of life in communion. Jesus gave us this gift so that we would never be hungry... And so we wouldn't be concerned with what we should do to make ourselves seem something that we are not. He gave us this bread so we could be more focused on getting others to the feast so they will not be hungry.
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