Sunday August 3rd

So, the readings are:
Genesis 32: 22-31 - Jacob wrestling at Jabbok
Romans 9: 1-5 - a rather odd bit of Paul asserting his Jewish identity but also talking of being cut off!
Matthew 14: 13-21 - Feeding of 5000 - Jesus has compassion & heals & then feeds the people.

First thoughts - I love the story of Jacob's wrestling - it's such a great story of how the slippery little Jacob with all his tricks & wiles (remember the mess of pottage?) finally meets his match & is left blessed but with a limp & emerges as the 'patriarch', Israel.

Maybe the link with the gospel reading is of how God blesses us - not cheaply but at a cost. Jesus' miracles were not to impress, but out of compassion for people.

I need to understand the Romans passage better - will do some reading around...
watch this space.

Comments

Julyan said…
I've been looking at the gospel and was struck by the way Jesus puts the problem (hungry people back into the disciples' court. "You sort it!" It seems to me that this is not aboput treating God as "Daddy" or "Mummy" but about recognising our God given gifts (Jesus thanked God for the disciples' food offering) and getting on with the job. Hey, and did you notice that there's always the cleaning up to do and that that is never in proportion to the amount of food consumed!? Where do all those crumbs come from?
30 July 2008 at 17:45
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