Difficult Truth

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’ Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him. John 6:60-71

These are discouraging times for many, and it can seem appropriate to give up and walk away. When we have to face difficult and hard truths, we often pretend not to hear, think we can ignore it, we can hide, or just walk away. Many of Jesus' disciples did just that. They were in the presence of the living God, and yet they could not live with difficult teachings and truths. We humans are prone to great love and even greater betrayal and failing. Today we are invited to seek a deeper faith, a deeper trust, a deeper love in these challenging times.

Loving Creator, you know the depths of us

our fickle and divisive hearts and minds

yet you love us completely and stay with us

despite the darkness and challenges within.

We have loved fame and fortune too much

we are wowed by trinkets and shiny stuff

yet are shallow, selfish and unkind often

and forget to care for the least among us.

Help us Lord, to stay with you today

never let us fade away or give up now

you call us to be your heart and hands here

make us your disciples in these hard times. Amen.

Bread of Heaven

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ John 6:41-51

Among our Indigenous tribes here in the States, one of the most familiar foods, craved and essential to life, is fry bread. Many folks think fry bread is a traditional dish. Actually, it is not. Fry bread is the result of the ingenuity of Native women, who took the bland commodities given by our federal government and made something delicious. Since tribes were dislocated, removed and penned in on reservations, fry bread made the limited diet special. And, for me it is a symbol of our resilience and hope in the face of terrible politics and constancy violence and abuse. Jesus offers us himself, not a commodity but a relationship, one that gives and restores life, even in the worst of times.

Gracious Creator, source of bread and life

you feed us both physically and spiritually

you tend to us like fragile new spring plants

and water us with new life and new hope.

We find ourselves in dangerous times again

when greed for land and dominance reign

when the most vulnerable cower in fear

from the very people that should be caring for them.

Revive us, Lord, with your heavenly food

give us the strength to persist when weary

to serve the needy even when the skies darken

and feed us so we carry your love here and now. Amen.

Bread of Life

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said 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. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’ John 6:27-40

Shortly after the first of the year, I started baking bread again. A dear friend had given me some sour dough starter some time back, and I have really enjoyed the whole process. The bread, rolls and buns we've made have been so delicious. Even better, the smell of baking bread and the aroma as it comes out of the oven, is nothing short of gloriously heavenly. Bread has been a staple across time and generations. It can often remind us of simpler, safer times. It smells like home and comfort. Jesus tells us he is the bread of life, the one who gives us safety and comfort, the one who is home for us. I imagine we all need a good dose of safety and comfort these days. May we be ready always to turn to Jesus, seeking out the true bread of life.

Gracious Creator, you feed us and comfort us

filling us with good things wrought from earth

protecting us in times of violence and worry

and restoring our hope in these dark times.

We are surrounded by false prophets and rumors

we feel as if we don't know who we can trust

we run from pillar to post seeking comfort

and too often forget to turn our hearts to you.

Precious Jesus, refill our empty hearts today

strengthen us for the challenging days ahead

be our sustenance, our hope and our home

and make us full of love so we might feed others. Amen.

Strong Winds and Rough Seas

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ John 6:16-27

I have spent a good deal of my life near the ocean and have often experienced strong winds and rough seas. My Dad had small boats, all second hand and rickety at best. I have experienced my share of rough times on a small boat. I have baled and pumped water and prayed we would get back to shore. My father was well trained and experienced, just as the disciples were. Wind and weather do not care, and the most experienced know when to be afraid. Many of us are facing rough seas and strong winds in other ways and it can feel as if we are sure to perish. Yet Jesus comes to us, calms our fears and brings us to safe harbor again. No matter where we are in our journey, no matter how overwhelmed we are and are sure we are going to drown, Jesus is with us in our storms.

Gracious Creator, you give us wind and water

so birds might fly and fish might swim at home

you give us skills and strength to sail and fly

and we might see the glory and beauty of creation.

The storms of life and swift changes overwhelm us

and all the human advances fall away when fear rises

even the strongest among us can be weak and broken

and the most faithful tremble and fear abandonment.

Free us today from all the fears we hold so close

let us see you coming close in our terrifying storms

give us new strength and new faith for the journey

and make us your disciples who carry your love. Amen.