"Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” John 6:1

by Fr. Ed Cardoza - As the multitudes descended upon Jesus, his first instinct was to offer hospitality to feed them physically and to nourish them spiritually.  The question above from John 6 verse 1 is asked of Philip by Jesus.  John the Evangelist is quick to point out that Jesus asked this question to "test" Philip.  And that may very well be the case--but I also do wonder if Jesus is slightly stumped and is struggling with how exactly to proceed...

This leads me to my own question: Can we make space in our lives where the fully divine and fully human Jesus is stumped and struggles (after all that is such a human trait--not at all sinful--and as such Jesus must have experienced such realities or he would be less than human rather than fully human). 

As we awake from the more isolated measures of Covidtide, it isn't unusual for some of us to feel overwhelmed and to struggle with social interactions and groups.  One person recently related that it feels like time itself was stolen from them--and that fitting back in, catching up, picking relationships back up is utterly exhausting even though it often comes with such joy.  That comment re-minded me of returning to school after a particularly difficult bout of chicken pox in fifth grade.  When I returned my desk was quarantined to the back of the room--my classmates had moved on and I now had to figure out how to catch up and immerse myself back into the class. It took time.  It required patience on everyone's part.  It required work and real struggle.  But I eventually got to where I needed to be. 
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Jesus and the disciples also got to where they needed to be. Whether it was a test and Jesus knew all along how it was going to work out or whether the di-vine and human nature worked hand and hand, in real time, to bring about the desired outcome; doesn't so much matter to me.  The lesson is to persist, to show up with grace and allow the awesomeness of God to work through you and others...if we do this...all will be well.