Matthew 15:29-39
29After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. 30Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, 31so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
32Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” 33The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” 34Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Prayer:
God, we are hungry.
Hungry for food, hungry for love, hungry for peace.
Where are we to find enough bread?
Where are we to find food for our hungry bodies,
love for our lonely souls,
peace for our war-torn world?
Jesus, we are hungry.
You speak to us on the mountain.
I have compassion for the crowd.
Compassion for everyone,
even us, sitting at the back.
Compassion for your people,
beloved, forgiven, known.
Holy Spirit, we are hungry.
Give us bread for our bodies
that we may love and serve you.
Give us love for our souls
that we may love ourselves and others.
Give us peace for our world,
that we may live together as God’s people.
Amen.
Written by Sarah Rutherford, United Campus Ministry of Aggieland Alum
and second year student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
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