Coming to our senses - Week Five - Taste

Friday - in the Bible

Read John 6. 1-15

After this,Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.  A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

The story of the feeding of the 5000 depends on one small boy who offers his lunch of fish and bread. From his act of generosity comes food enough to more than satisfy the crowd. Imagine yourself in this scene. See it as vividly as you can.

·         Where are you in the scene – in the middle of the crowd, near Jesus, near the boy ? Perhaps it is your basket of food that will be shared or perhaps you are one of the disciples who will share it out?

·         Imagine receiving the bread and fish from Jesus’ disciples. Imagine eating it. What does it taste like to you, at the end of a long, hungry day?

·         What do you want to say to Jesus, to the boy, to those who sit around you in response to this miracle?