Daily Readings - Mon Aug 05 2019
Numbers
4Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!5We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.6But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."7Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.8The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil.9When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.11Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers?13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, 'Give us meat, that we may eat.'14I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.15If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
Matthew
13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.14When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.15Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves."16But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."17They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."18And he said, "Bring them here to me."19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.20And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on trust and provision. The first reading from Numbers describes the Israelites' discontent with manna, expressing a deep longing for the variety of foods they left behind in Egypt. Their complaint not only reveals dissatisfaction but also a lack of trust in God's provision. Moses, burdened by their ingratitude, seeks relief from the responsibility of leading such a complaining people. This passage highlights the human tendency to overlook the blessings we have and instead focus on what we lack.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a contrasting narrative of abundance and faith. Jesus, moved by compassion for the crowd that followed him, performs the miracle of the loaves and fish, feeding over 5000 people. This act demonstrates God's willingness to provide beyond our needs, often in unexpected ways. The disciples' initial doubt—"We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish"—is transformed by Jesus' faith and action into an abundance that leaves no one in want.
These readings remind us to cultivate gratitude and trust in our daily lives. Like the Israelites, we may sometimes feel dissatisfied with what we have, but it is in these moments that we must remember God's faithfulness. Jesus' miracle teaches us that even in scarcity, God's provision can be abundant. As we navigate life's challenges, let us approach them with faith, trusting that God will provide what we need. May we learn to see the manna in our lives with gratitude and to trust in God's plan, even when it seems insufficient.