The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Gospel reading for Sunday, July 30th: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15)

CHILDLIKE FAITH FEEDS 5,000

“Benjamin! Where have you been?!” The mother’s face was at once a mix of anger and joy as she hugged the little boy. Anger that her only son had wandered off among such a huge throng of people, and joy upon seeing him safe and sound.

“Momma,” the boy said excitedly, “You should have seen it! It was a miracle! My little lunch fed everybody!”

“What are you talking about?” she said. “It’s bad enough you strayed away from me, but now you’re making up stories trying to change the subject?”

“No, Momma, it’s true. My lunch fed everyone here.”

“Oh, really?” she said with a skeptical smile. “Tell me what happened.”

“Well, I went up closer to hear what that man Jesus was saying. I was able to get right next to him. He looked out and saw how many people were here, and then he said to one of his friends, ‘Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?’ His friend’s eyes got all big and his mouth dropped open, and he said, ‘Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.’ I could tell that Jesus was really concerned about everyone, Momma. He didn’t want us to be hungry.”

“Well, obviously he had a lot of food with him,” she said, “since everyone just finished eating a huge meal.”

“No, Momma, he didn’t have any food at all. That’s why his friend was so confused. Just then another one of his friends looked at me and saw the food I had in my little basket. He said to Jesus, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many?’ I got really nervous, Momma, because they were all looking right at me. I didn’t want to give them my food because I knew you would be mad. That was our only food and we’re far from home.”

“That’s right, Benjamin,” she said. “Never give away your last meal to a stranger.”

“Then Jesus told his friends to have everybody sit down,” the boy continued. “And he looked at me and held out his hands. He wanted my food, Momma!”

“I’m glad you didn’t give it to him,” she said, noticing that his basket was still filled with bread and fish.

“But I did, Momma. I couldn’t say no. Jesus’ eyes were so kind. I just knew somehow that he was going to do something good with my food.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” she muttered. “You are so gullible, Benjamin. I heard that Jesus was a good man, but now I’m not so sure. Why would he grab a little boy’s lunch when he already had a whole caravan filled with food?”

“But Momma, I told you, he didn’t have any food. After he took my bread and fish, he looked up to the sky and gave thanks to God. Then he took my little basket and poured it into a big basket. And Momma, I swear, I saw it with my own eyes, the big basket was completely full of food! And then he poured that basket into three other big baskets, and Momma, they were ALL filled with food! And he kept doing it, Momma, until there was more food than I ever saw in my whole life! It was a miracle, Momma!”

The woman looked silently at her son. She didn’t know what to say. Benjamin liked to tell stories and occasionally was known to exaggerate, but he had never said anything like this before.

“And guess what, Momma,” the boy said. “After all that, my little basket was still filled with food! Jesus really did a miracle, Momma.”

Just then a woman came running by. “Did you hear?” she said to Benjamin and his mother, “Jesus did a miracle. He fed all these thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish!”

“Umm, yeah,” the mother said, looking at her son. “I did hear something like that.” Benjamin smiled from ear to ear.

“It’s a miracle!” the other woman shouted. “It’s a sign from God. This truly is the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world!” At that she ran off with the crowd which was rushing toward Jesus.

“We’d better start heading for home, Benjamin,” the mother said. “It’s been an interesting day.”

As they began to walk, a man approached them, his cloak draped over his head, hiding his face. He pulled the cloak back and smiled. “Jesus!” Benjamin shouted.

“Shhh,” Jesus said. “They want to make me king, but it’s not my time yet. I have to leave here. But I want to thank you, Benjamin. You were a very big help today.”

“Aw, it was nothing,” the boy said.

“And you,” Jesus said, looking Benjamin’s mother square in the eye, “Bless you, woman, and your son.” With that, he was gone.

Benjamin’s mother stood breathless for a moment. “His eyes,” she whispered. “You were right, son. I’ve never seen such kind eyes. Do you think is really is the One we’ve been waiting for?”

“Oh definitely, Momma,” the boy said matter-of-factly, “Jesus is awesome.”

©2006