Feeding 5000 men and others, and Saint George. Tales of 2 Worlds

 This week’s gospel reading (Matt 14:13-21) is another well-known story. It is one of those stories where you need to read around it. And when we do we find that there are two meals – one leading to death and one offering hope. The story before is of Herod’s depraved meal where Jesus’ teacher, mentor and friend, John, is beheaded. Jesus is trying to grieve. Instead he finds a crowd also filled with grief and anger, looking for hope. Herod’s birthday party is full of self-centeredness and greed, symbolic of all that is wrong with Herod, Rome, and the Temple leadership. As a Tribune in the Roman Emperor’s bodyguard, this is the world St George often lived in. But as a Christian he was drawn to Jesus. The Jesus who in his grief still meets the poor and discarded masses with generosity and compassion. In contrast to the abuse of power encountered in the Herod’s birthday bash, and in the Roman court, Jesus lives out God’s faithfulness, gracious abundance, and compassion. Despite the impossibility of the story, all these people were fed. Were fed until they no longer wanted, until they were no longer hungry, maybe for the first time.  Their prayer – “give us today our daily bread” was answered. God is bringing in a new age where all have enough to eat.

When faced with the Emperor Diocletian’s command to worship him or die, tradition tells us that George stood firmly on this faithfulness and compassion. With courage he told the tyrant that his act was unjust. He would not worship the Emperor; he would not execute his fellow Christians. He knew he would face a slow death. Tradition tells us he gave away his estate to the poor and relied on God’s abundance. In turn the emperor’s wife was inspired to also become a follower of Christ, and she too was executed. The serpent’s self-centred lies of greed were defeated. And George is remembered as one of the Great Martyrs

This year is an election year. I wonder how these stories with their images of God’s compassion, generosity, justice, and care for all people and all creation will influence the kind of society we look for? How will they influence how we vote?