Matthew under the arm 66

Today at lunch time, Columba and I realised we had forgotten to buy some bread and some fruit. We passed a group of people sitting on the wall and joking. In fact, you could hear their laughter from miles back. Most of them recognised Columba. He was well known for being tall, thin and slightly stooped. His beard was almost an apology! As they say, it was moth-eaten! The group summoned us across, but they didn't offer us some of their food. Columba told them a few of stories and jokes. He then looked plaintively at them. 'Have had nothing to eat?'...silly question. 'We haven't got enough for all of us.' 'Well, the little you have, let's have a Eucharist beside the path.' Before long about 12 people gathered around. 'This is my body. This is my blood.' Afterwards, there certainly was enough...


Matthew 14:13-20....
Jesus responds to hunger. His life was not a project with an aim and objectives to meet. He was available and was more 'done to' than doing. He responds even when he is at the vital work of prayer. He gives more than people 'need' - he meets deep desires and more... 12 baskets with all the symbolism of the complete collection of the 'tribes' of Israel being fed by God to the full and more... No boundaries and no restraint in the Kingdom of God.

In the delight and generosity of God, I enter into the depths of you to feed your hunger and desire.

It's surprising to realise that so much of the Gospel is about desire and abundance, when 'poverty' seems so emblematic of Christianity. So enter into this prayer time imagining that you are at a dinner party or equivalent. Enjoy this prayer time by imagining every detail of the food and the company you would like to be in. Don't be mean! Use the sentence to deepen your imagination and enjoy....

+Martin
Argyll and The Isles