Miracles of Generosity
My Dear People,
ZAP! BLAM! PRESTO! SHAZAAAM!
I couldn’t help but think of superheroes, their sound effects, and comic books.
Of course God can do anything God wants. That said, as we mature in our faith we “put away childish things,” as St. Paul says.
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I don’t know about you, but there are only a handful of sermons that stay with me over the years. One such sermon, which I heard at Trinity Cathedral, in Columbia, S.C., was delivered by the Reverend Susan Heath, probably 20 years ago.
Susan was talking about the “Feeding of the Five Thousand,” where Jesus takes 5 loaves and 2 fishes and feeds everybody.
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So, what happened?
Was it that God, by sheer supernatural power (ZAP!), multiplied the loaves and fishes (SHAZAAAM!), and that was that? Problem solved, thank you God?
Or was it something much more interesting? And something much more believable? And something much more like real life? And something much more wonderful?
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Was the miracle a miracle demonstrating God’s mightiness? Or, as Susan suggested, was the miracle a miracle of generosity, which the Spirit brought about by moving in the hearts, and in the imaginations, of the people gathered there? (We can imagine, after Jesus’ prayer, and as his disciples shared what they had, people reaching deep into their tunics, or down into a satchel, to pull out and share what food they had tucked away for the day’s journey.)
While, again, all things are possible with God (BLAM!), that said, a miracle of generosity--simple, quiet, and beautiful--sounds much, much, much more like God to me.
Your brother in Christ,
Wallace+
