If Jesus is the ‘bread of life,’ so should we be as a church: Reflecting on John 6:24-35

The broad interpretation of the word ‘hunger’ as adopted from the “State of Hunger 2021’ report of the Trussell Trust in the UK is understood as ‘household food insecurity,’ which is defined as ‘a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.’[1] The report also explains that the lack of food is one of the aspects of wider poverty. Nearly six million adults and 1.7 million children in the UK were struggling to get enough food between Sept 2020 and Feb 2021, with BAME, disabled and older people being the worst affected. There has been a significant rise in ‘food poverty’ and the pandemic has changed things from bad to worse, pushing many people to hunger. It is also reported that most severe ‘food deserts’ in the UK were in areas of Greater Manchester, London, Liverpool and Glasgow. On the other hand, ‘holiday hunger’ for children at schools has been unabated, and we see people like Marcus Rashford consistently making efforts in addressing issues of hunger of children. 

In such a context, where ‘food poverty’ and hunger are the grim realities around us, how do we understand Jesus’ saying to the crowds in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” As I read and reflect this text, my immediate reaction has been to seek a confession from God, for how we as churches and Christians over the period of history have conveniently interpreted this saying of Jesus to say that Jesus was speaking about people who are ‘spiritually’ hungry and thirsty, making no sense to people who are physically hungry and thirsty. Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.

When we read this text of John 6:24-35, we see Jesus speaking to the crowds right after feeding them with 5 loaves and 2 fish to 5000 plus people. The crowd were asking for a sign from Jesus to believe him, and they remembered how their ancestors were fed by the heavenly manna in the wilderness when they were in hunger (31v). Jesus had to explain to the crowd that it was not Moses who gave them manna, but God, who had fed them with the true bread from heaven. Jesus here in that context makes two profound faith statements, which are relevant for his times and also for our times today.

 

Firstly, Jesus says, “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (33v). Jesus was reinterpreting the whole manna experience of their ancestors explaining that ‘the bread of God’ incarnates to give life to the world, food to the hungry-filled world. ‘The bread of God’ is not that which sits in the heavens untouched by the pain, suffering and hunger of the world. Out of God’s compassion to the hungry world, God shares God’s bread so that the hungry are fed and the thirsty are quenched, offering life to the world. ‘The bread of God’ is not about storing the bread for a rainy day, nor is it about accumulating bread and filling the heaven’s barns, rather is about coming down from heaven and is about reaching out to the hungry and giving life to the world. In giving life to the world, the bread becomes the bread of God. In other words, any bread that reaches out to the hungry and offers life, becomes the bread of God.

 

This discussion then brings into the relevance of our ‘Holy communion,’ for Christians understand the bread they receive at the ‘Holy communion’ as ‘the bread of God’ or ‘the body of Jesus Christ.’ I do understand and respect all the historical and theological traditions of the Eucharist. However, this text calls and challenges all those of us participating in the ‘Holy communion’ to understand and recognise that the bread we eat at this sacrament becomes ‘the bread of God’ when we as recipients go out into the world and feed the hungry, giving life to the world. The ‘heavenliness’ or the ‘divinity’ or the ‘spirituality’ of ‘the bread of God’ is in giving life to the world by feeding the hungry and meeting the needs of people who are being pushed into ‘food poverty.’ Next time, we partake in the ‘Holy communion,’ let us be reminded that ‘the holiness’ of the sacrament is in sharing food, offering food and in feeding the hungry, for we are joining with the ‘bread of God’ in giving life to the world.

 

Secondly, Jesus’ reply to the crowd who have asked him to give them such a bread of God always, as “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (35v) is of great significance. Jesus now communicates that he is ‘the bread of God’ who has come down from heaven to be the bread of life to give life to the world. Jesus firstly introduces ‘the bread of God’ and then implies himself to be the ‘bread of life’ who has incarnated into the world. The identity of Jesus is that he is the bread of life, and the purpose of his life is to be bread to the hungry and be a drink to the thirsty and give life to the world. Jesus then explains that whoever, no matter who they are, they will be fed by Jesus, with Jesus and will never go thirsty. The context into which Jesus was speaking was dominated by hunger and thirst, as the Roman empire was exploiting the people of first century Palestine with unjust taxes and by plundering the harvest grown by their hands in their own lands. So, when the crowd heard these Jesus words that he is the bread of life who addresses hunger and thirst, these words of Jesus sounded as real good news for them, for no one goes hungry and thirsty at Jesus and with Jesus. On the one hand the Roman empire plunders life from the world, creating more hunger and more thirst among people, and on the other hand Jesus, who has come from the bread of God, becomes the bread of life and has been on the mission of addressing ‘food poverty,’ giving life to the world. For this reason, there are about six incidents recorded in the Gospels where Jesus feeds people with bread and fish, which only explains Jesus’ mission of addressing hunger as his priority. 

 

So, this text has a huge relevance for our times today in the 21st century, where the world is becoming more hungrier and thirstier for life. The call for us is to be like Jesus, grounding in the bread of God and offering ourselves to be the bread of life, sharing our gifts, resources, food and water with people who have been pushed into situations of poverty. It is easy to eulogise that Jesus is the bread of life and celebrate about it, but the challenge is in seeking the relevance of Jesus the bread of life who came down from heaven to give life to the world, for likewise we are called to come down from citadels of comfort and give bread, drink and life to the world. This is a huge ask, however this is the meaning of following Jesus faithfully today, to be the givers of life with Jesus to the world today.

 

This week I have read a story about Trinity Methodist church in Hull, who as part of their mission plan created a project called “Re:Uniform'' giving away free school uniforms to children, and about 1000 local children were benefited by this initiative over the past two years. This story has been very inspiring, where we find the relevance of a local church in the community, which as I read it understand that they are trying to be bread of life by distributing school uniforms freely for children, addressing the needs of children and families.

 

Our school pantry initiative of taking food to local schools has made some inroads in our reaching out to the community, for which I am thankful to all those who have supported it. There are several signs of hope in trying to be the bread of life to the world today. Thanks to Marcus Rashford who has been constantly channelling food to children and their families living in deprived situations of life.

 

I, for one think that if Jesus is the bread of life, we as his followers, as his church should be the bread of life to people around us, be a table for all people, sharing food and offering drink, challenging the systems that perpetuate ‘food poverty’ and be a place of bread and drink for all. We as a church will find our relevance by feeding the hungry, by questioning the powers that create a gap between the haves and have-nots and by striving for food justice for all people on our planet. We as a church should be known as ‘bread church,’ ‘rice & curry church’, ‘soup church’ ‘falafel church’ etc. where food and drink are available to all, so that we address the needs of the hungry and the thirsty. And in Jesus’ parable of last judgement in Matthew 25, the guiding principle for God’s justice code is about feeding the hungry, nursing the wounded, and releasing the captives. May we as churches and as Christians follow such a code and strive to make our world a better place to live in.

 

Allow me to conclude with a lyric that I have written in 2010 for a Lutheran World Federation General Assembly where the theme was, “Give us today our daily bread,” which is still relevant today:

 

Give us today our daily bread…

 

1. Give us today our daily bread,

Teach us today to thank on what we’re fed,

Help us today, realise many go to bed,

Without a meal and are nearly dead.

 

                     Refrain: Food for thought, food for life and food for all,

Good for thought, good for life and good for all,

Said our thoughts, said for life and said for all,

Live our thoughts, live for life and live for all.

 

2. Forgive us O God for we eat in greed,

For selfishness is what we breed,

Forgetting that sharing should be our creed,

Forever we are insensitive to those in need.

 

3. O God, the maker & the giver of life,

You have sent your son as bread of life,

Broken for us to save from death & strife,

Promising those that taste you, eternal life.

 

4. Is starvation swallowed up in the victory of sharing?

Its sting, accumulation broken by caring,

Root of greed is uprooted in that sharing,

Food for all and life for all will be its bearing.

 

Raj Bharat Patta,

29th July 2021

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[1] https://www.trusselltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/State-of-Hunger-2021-Report-Final.pdf, P.10

Pic credit: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/why-is-jesus-called-the-bread-of-life.html

‘One new humanity’ in Christ: The site of God’s dwelling place - Reflecting on Ephesians 2:11-22

Following the finals of the Euro 2020 football championship, Sancho, Rashford and Saka, the three football players from the England team have been racially abused and so much venom has been spitting on them online because of their colour by some toxic nationalists. When a mural of Rashford was damaged at Withington in Manchester, a great number of people came together to stand up against racism, supporting Rashford, offering messages of love and calling communities to defeat hatred and hostility against the stranger has been heart-warming. To offer our support and solidarity to Rashford, we as a family visited this site where the mural of Rashford was covered with lots of messages of love, and found that there are many people from different walks of life who came there to offer respect and stand up against racism. This wall with the mural of Rashford in Withington has now become a new pilgrim site for justice, where lots of people are visiting to take hope and courage in standing with Rashford and in standing up against racism. 

I was particularly warmed by the profound theological statement made by Phoebe Parkin, the Youth President of the Methodist Church condemning racism following the Euro 2020 final. She says, “Football isn’t the problem. The problem is that we live in a society where sexism, racism, nationalism and violence are enabled, where not enough of us (including myself) actively work to challenge even the lowest levels of sexism, racism and nationalism. Jesus showed us that we should be peacemakers and showed us that we should love others as ourselves, showing the same grace and compassion that God shows to us.” By this statement, Phoebe is inviting the church to actively work on challenging issues of racism, sexism and nationalism in the spirit of Jesus offering love, peace and compassion.

 

In the epistle lesson for this week, Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul speaks to the early church at Ephesus about Jesus who has come to make peace by breaking down the dividing wall, transcending all kinds of barriers like uncircumcised, gentiles, strangers, foreigners, aliens and making all people of God as ‘one humanity’ and as equal members of the household of God. In the Ephesian context, the divisions among people were based on circumcision and uncircumcision, believers and non-believers, gentiles and Jews, foreigners and natives. In other words, the divisions were based on rituals, religion, ethnicity, and regionalism. Into such a divided and divisive context Paul was ascribing the public relevance of the gospel of Jesus Christ by encouraging them to strive for peace, reconciliation, and oneness of humanity, reminding them of Jesus’ mission of peace and peace-making, joining both the groups in peace. It is interesting to see Pauls’ public theological perspectives coming alive in this text as he engages with his context.

 

Firstly, Paul explains that peace is realised by creating ‘one new humanity’ in Christ. Paul says, “He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of two, thus making peace,” (15v) for peace in a divisive setting is possible only by creating ‘one new humanity’ in Christ. Paul was not offering a solution of creating a ‘one new church’ here, rather was emphasising ‘one new humanity in Christ.’ Humanity has been losing its credibility by falling prey to the divisions based on race, colour, ethnicity, religion and ritual. In other words, with the entrenchment of divisions, discriminations, oppressions, and marginalisation in the society, dehumanisation has taken over humanity since creation. So, when Christ has come in the form of a human, it is important to recognise that Christ was born as Jesus in a dehumanising world offering ‘salvation as humanisation.’ Though this sounds anthropomorphic, the idea is that when Jesus has come to offer peace, breaking the walls of division, he is breaking the walls of dehumanisation and has been creating ‘one new humanity’ which strives for a renewed creation order. To put it in other words, Christ has come to create ‘one new humanity’ by breaking the powers of dehumanisation, so that this new humanity in Christ will work together transcending all barriers for a new and renewed creation.

 

So, drawing a relevance of this text for our context, today we recognise racism, sexism and toxic nationalism have been the principalities of dehumanisation, that have been dividing the society, and the call for us as followers of Jesus Christ is to work towards ‘one new humanity’ where all these evils of dehumanisation will be dismantled. The call of the church is to partake with Jesus in creating ‘one new humanity’, where Christ offers the clue to understand what humanness means in Jesus, for love, peace, reconciliation, compassion and justice are the outward expressions of the ‘one new humanity.’ What have we as a church contributed towards creating that ‘one new humanity’ in Christ? The obsessions of the church today have been on numerical church growth, and the mission for ‘one new humanity’ has taken a back bench in our endeavours as a church. We as a church should be at the forefront of fighting racism, sexism, toxic nationalism, and addressing the needs of the people on the margins. By such activism and actions, new spaces and new places of Christian presence will be celebrated. We as a church should stand by Rashford, Sancho and Saka and many like them who have become victims of racism and engage with the issues in the public sphere, for only then we as churches will find our relevance today.

 

The public theological language of testifying about ‘one new humanity’ for our 21st century is all about engaging in ‘one new ecology in Christ.’ The ‘new humanity’ who have defeated dehumanisation with Christ, will work for a new creation, thereby a (re)newed ecology is created, in which space, humanity and creation live and work in peace and harmony, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone for such a ‘one new ecology.’  

 

Secondly, Paul explains that peace is celebrated as ‘one new humanity’ in Christ by growing into a new temple of God in Christ (20-22v). Here Paul offers a clue for the church to grow. When peace through Christ and in Christ is made, then all disparities and inequalities are broken down for this ‘one new humanity’ becomes the household of God built on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. Paul proposes to the church at Ephesus that this ‘one new humanity’ where peace, equality and love are established, now becomes the ‘dwelling-place for God.’ In a way Paul was proposing a new definition for the temple of God, that God is not limited to the holy shrines and the temples, nor is confined by territory or building, rather the ‘one new humanity’ becomes the site where God’s indwelling moves, lives and happens.

 

The relevance of this text for us today is that when dehumanising powers of racism, sexism and toxic nationalism are broken down and dismantled, ‘one new humanity in Christ’ is created. In that new creation, peace, equality and love thrives, and such a new site becomes the new ground where God finds God’s new dwelling place. So as followers if we defeat these powers and break down the walls of division, then we collectively become part of the ‘one new humanity’ and we become the new temple where God dwells among us. Put it differently, if dehumanising powers thrive and dominate our lives, God is not living among us and we as humans have lost the purpose of our humanness. So, the call for us as a church is to find the dwelling place of God within us and among our communities. It’s time that we as churches should be working for a ‘one new humanity’ and testify that God dwells among us in that new humanity and community.

 

God doesn’t dwell among sites of dehumanisation, for all the powers of dehumanisation are anti-God. Let us therefore work together in breaking down the walls of racism, sexism and toxic nationalism and make ourselves, our churches and our communities as places of love, hospitality and inclusion, celebrating the fact that we are all part of ‘one new humanity’ in Christ.

 

Rashford, Sancho and Saka, we love you and we stand by you, for you have all made us proud. Together we live, together we fight against dehumanisation, and together we partake in the ‘one new humanity in Christ.’

 

Raj Bharat Patta,

16th July 2021

Who is haunting you? For Herod, it was Jesus, the risen John - Reflecting on Mark 6:14-29

In my childhood, many ghost stories were taking rounds in our locality, for it was said that people who have died with their desires unmet would come as ghosts and haunt people who have ill-treated them when they were alive. I am not sure of the authenticity of ghosts moving around, but it was strongly believed in the community that they haunted people. Back in our village I remember some people cook the favourite food of their dear ones who have died on their death anniversary, and place a bowl of that food near their photo with a belief that they come and taste it, in a way to say that they are still with them and celebrate their presence around them. 

The text this week from Mark 6:14-29 is one such passage, where King Herod was haunted by the memories of John, and eventually identifies Jesus as John, whom he beheaded and is now raised. This is the only text in the New Testament where a birthday of a person is mentioned, which is King Herod’s. This again explains the colonial trappings of that context, for only kings afforded to celebrate birthdays, for only such people’s lives mattered and their births were deemed important and on the other hand birthdays of the powerful people are remembered and therefore recorded. Herod throws a birthday banquet for his court officials, and when Herodia's daughter dances and pleases his guests, Herod offers this girl to ask for anything as a gift, even half of his kingdom to give. Herodias uses her young girl to ask for the head of John the baptiser on a platter as a gift, for John spoke truth to the powers (18v), for which Herodias was sore at. Herod yielded to it and beheaded John and gave it to her on a platter.

Against this backdrop, when Jesus’ name was spreading across the region for his powers and works among the people, and when Herod heard about Jesus, he and his court officials were trying to identify who this Jesus was. There were at least four different identifications made at Herod’s court on learning about Jesus. Firstly, some say that John the baptiser has been raised from the dead; and for this reason, these powers were at work in Jesus (14v). Raising from the dead was not a new concept in the religious world view of those times in Palestine, and so when Jesus was performing his works of healing and speaking truth to the powers, they thought that either Jesus was the new John, or Jesus had the spirit of John in him and so was able to do his works. Secondly, some others said that Jesus was Elijah (15a), who was one of the prominent prophets of the Old Testament, and did not see death as he ascended into heaven. Perhaps the wisdom of Herod’s court believed that Jesus was that Elijah who again descended into their midst performing powerful acts of healing and transforming their communities. Thirdly, others said that Jesus is a prophet, like one of the prophets of the old (15b) who continued his prophetic ministry of teaching, healing and contesting the powers and principalities of his times. Finally, when Herod heard of Jesus, he was haunted by the memories of John the baptiser, and particularly how he cruelly beheaded him and said Jesus is “John, whom I beheaded, and has been raised” (16v). For Herod, Jesus is the haunting John, bringing him those memories of arresting John, binding him and putting him in prison and even reminding him of the guilt of beheading John for speaking the truth to his wife Herodias for unlawfully marrying his brother’s wife.

 

‘Jesus, the haunting John’ is not on the Christological titles of Jesus Christ, but on reflecting this passage I recognise the need for this title, for it challenges those in power to know that Jesus is a mirror granting them an opportunity to reflect the unjust things they have done in the past and offers a space to seek forgiveness and in striving for justice as a way forward. Unfortunately, Herod though recognised that Jesus is the haunting John in his life who has come back to life from the death, continued his life in collaboration with the colonial powers without any repentance in his life, for towards the end we know the role he has played towards the crucifixion of Jesus as a public criminal.

 

Secondly, on recognising Jesus as the haunting John, Herod recognised that Jesus has come as a new-being, continuing the mission of John the baptiser, in fact with more power, which includes contesting the colonial powers, healing and loving people. John the baptiser said about Jesus at his baptism, that the one coming after him is more powerful, and to that extent Jesus carried on more powerful acts of mission. Jesus calls Herod elsewhere as recorded in Luke 13:32, “the fox” which was part of his mission of contestation.

 

Thirdly, ‘Jesus as the haunting John’ is a title that reminds the listeners that prophets keep haunting people who are engrossed in doing unjust acts. Jesus has come to make this world a better place, a transforming place and a ‘new creation’, by speaking truth to the powers and by being prophetic, which is ‘good news to the poor as bad news to the rich.’ Christian discipleship is all about grace, and it is grace that calls people to repentance and to walk humbly with God, which is to get busy in doing acts of love and justice.

 

Fourthly, ‘Jesus the haunting John’ is a precursor to discuss Jesus’ resurrection for Herod recognises that Jesus is the risen John who has come back to life from the dead. For this very reason, there is no mention of Jesus appearing to the powerful people after his resurrection, including Herod, for to Herod Jesus remains to be haunting John, and perhaps that could be the reason that Herod played his part to get away with Jesus, the haunting John, through criminal execution on the cross.

 

The relevance of this text is that Jesus is the one who exposes one’s unjust acts, and the name of Jesus is the name that haunts people till they seek forgiveness and turn away from evil doings. The name of Jesus is the haunting Grace that haunts us to lead a just life, overcoming injustice, inequality and indignity. The name of Jesus haunts us till we deliver justice. At the General Synods and Conference meetings of the churches, they have come forward to express ‘full and unreserved apology’ to all the past historical mistakes they have made including the past safeguarding cases of abuse, for the experiences of racism, for exclusion of LGBTQI people in the church etc. which is invoking the name of Jesus into the life of the church. What is the meaning of the name of Jesus today? A mere apology is not sufficient, for the name of Jesus calls for action, calls to exercise justice. The name of Jesus is a name of love, grace, hope, justice, equality, peace and at the same time the name of Jesus is also contesting and defeating hate, injustice, inequality, prejudice, pride, privilege, exclusion, and discrimination. Is Jesus haunting you in your faith? If yes, he is inviting you to grace by overcoming complacency and evil deeds which we succumb to, and drives you to work for peace, love and justice in every way possible.

 

On this ‘Action for Children’ Sunday, the name of Jesus is haunting us to recognise that there are many vulnerable children across the world, and we are called to join in addressing their needs in ensuring life in all its fullness. The name of Jesus should inspire us to work towards addressing hunger and thirst in our world today and strive for a just world.

 

Last week, Fr. Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and a Tribal rights activist in India died in the hospital due to Covid. He was arrested on the mere assumptions that his advocacy works were linked to Maoist terrorism, which was untrue. Many people demanded his release from the prison, and his death is being called by many social activists as ‘institutional murder.’ Fr. Stan will continue to haunt all those in power today, for his blood is on the hands of the present day Herods, calling them to repentance and striving towards justice for Tribals and Dalits in India.

 

May the name of Jesus haunt each of us to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. Jesus is the haunting John, and the risen Jesus is the haunting grace in the Holy ‘ghost.’ Amen.

 

Raj Bharat Patta,

9th July 2021

Pic Credit: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/635218722429426573/

In situations of rejection, love is the only response: Reflecting on Mark 6:1-13

During the recent Euro 2020 football matches, it was reported that some fans in the stadium were booing the English team when they were taking a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter campaign in support of anti-racism. They say ‘booing is a way of fans showing their dissatisfaction.’ However, the manager of the England team, Gareth Southgate has said that those booing are not able to understand the message, and has kept his determination for the cause of fighting racism in the game of football and in the society. Fans generally come to the stadiums to cheer their teams and encourage them when they play the game against the opponents. How can one’s own fans boo their own team when they do things that are different to what they expect their team to do? English football team is committed to give ‘red card’ to racism and wanted to spread the message of equality of all people irrespective of their colour, creed, ethnicity and sexuality, for no amount of booing will stop their determination and commitment for this cause, and all football lovers are called to strive towards racial justice and equality.

Back in the day, when Jesus came to his home town and was preaching in his local synagogue on a Sabbath day, his own people were booing Jesus as they were astounded by his wisdom, power and deeds asking “Is not this the carpenter, son of Mary, brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters with us? And they took offence at him.” (6:3) Why did his local mates take offence at Jesus? Firstly, they took offence because they could not accept the fact that a simple carpenter could speak wisdom, perform healings and do great things. In other words, they would have been ok, if Jesus the carpenter was coming out with his wooden gifts and crafts, anything that Jesus does which is beyond their own expectations, they can’t take it and take offence on Jesus, in a way they were booing him. A person from his ancestral trade has to do only that kind of trade, and any disruption, deviance and defiance to that particular trade would be considered offensive and is subject to booing. Such a thinking is the bedrock of colonialism, for it thrives under the principle of rigidity and upholding status quo, however oppressive that structure is. In the context of casteism, people are divided in the name of caste, based on their occupations, and such a division of labour continues on one’s descent. People like Gandhi upheld such casteist division of labour and promulgated that if people in their own castes/occupations perform their own duties then the society will be harmonious. Any mobility or change or defiance from their given caste and occupation is considered deviance to the whole system and structure of caste. Jesus, though was a carpenter as the locals knew him, he defied that role to partake in the greater cause of transforming the world through his Kingdom of God manifestations. In other words, God chooses people from simple trade to change the world, for God surprises the world and challenges the powers of the world by using a carpenter. So, when a carpenter Jesus was doing something beyond the expectations of the society, he was booed and the society took offence of him. So, the learning from this point is any discrimination of any person based on one’s own prejudices and assumptions is unchristian and inhuman.

Secondly, people took offence at Jesus because, how can an ‘illegitimate’ child of Mary come and teach wisdom and do deeds of power in their midst? In this verse it is interesting to note that there is no mention of Joseph, and all that the identity of Jesus carries was ‘son of Mary,’ for their town knew that Mary conceived Jesus as a ‘virgin,’ which according to the then society was something very unethical and a polluting act. So, they took offence at Jesus for as a child born ‘illegitimately’, the divine cannot find favour in such people and so his wisdom and deeds of power are either unreliable or all null and void. That is the reason Jesus was astounded at their unbelief in him (6v.)

Thirdly, the people took offence at Jesus because on the day of Sabbath, he does things that are very different, including doing deeds of power, curing the sick etc., where he defies their religious laws of Sabbath. Jesus always swims across the currents of the waters for the cause of life, Jesus always does things ‘against the grain’ which are not well received by the popular majority, and so they take offence at him.

In such a context when the local mates took offence at him, Jesus did not give up his prophetic call nor give in to their offences, rather Jesus bounced back and said that prophets aren’t well received in their home ground, yet such an unwelcome do not stop their vocation that is given by God. Jesus was rejected and unwelcomed in his hometown, yet he showed resilience and has responded very creatively to that occasion, by sending his disciples two by two on a mission trip to the local towns and villages. His rejection in his home town did not depress Jesus, rather provided him with an opportunity to work creatively, this time sending his disciples in six pairs to continue his mission among those that rejected him. Jesus could have cursed his hometown for the kind of rejection and offence that people took in him, yet Jesus the embodiment of love reacted in love by graciously sending his disciples to mission with love to that community.

It was a love mission, where Jesus sends his disciples to teach love, to be love, to perform acts of love and create a loving community. At a place where he was rejected, Jesus builds a loving community with his disciples. The instructions that Jesus gives to his disciples are all of love, for mission is all about love. Firstly, he sends his disciples two by two, for Jesus as a team player knows the importance of partnerships, and sends them as companions, to love God, love one another and then demonstrate that love to all those whom they meet on their journey. Secondly, Jesus sends them with ‘bare minimum’, which is to take only a staff as a protection, wear sandals to walk, and then no bread, no bag, no money, not to put on two tunics. ‘Love is selflessness and self is lovelessness,’ is what Jesus was emphasising to his disciples. Jesus’ mission trips are not luxurious comfort trips, but are paths of cross, where the disciples are invited to join with the community in understanding common people’s hunger, their poverty and their needs. Such an identification is a demonstration of love with the community, where power is dismantled and solidarity serves as a mark of love mission. Thirdly, Jesus’ mission involves in situations of refusal and rejection, to move on, rather than judge and curse them. Again, love is the mantra of mission. Jesus said, just shake the dust of your feet and move on in times of rejection. So, the disciples went and performed a love mission, by casting the demons, by healing the sick and by anointing with oil.

The gospel writer did not mention what had happened to the people who had rejected Jesus on seeing the response of love that Jesus and his disciples did on their mission trip. But, I for one, would imagine that on recognising that Jesus has responded to his rejection with love, those people who took offence on Jesus would have been transformed by love and would have been part of God’s table, the Kingdom of God.

What is the relevance of this text for our times today? The first lesson we learn from this text is that love is the only response to rejection and refusal. Jesus upholds ‘contradictory convictions’ of people in creative tension, and tries to win people with love and love alone. This week when the Methodist Conference has voted to allow same sex marriages at Methodist churches, I could see the amount of hatred some people were spilling with lots of online abuse on Methodist Church, judging them, booing them and taking offence at them for this their bold and prophetic vote. Time and again at the Conference it was emphasised that there are no losers and no winners, for it is only love that thrives, for this vote is about people, real people who have been booed, discriminated because of their sexuality and gender, and all this vote means is to embrace them with love. This given text gives us hope that in situations of rejections by certain groups of people, we as followers of Jesus Christ are called to be gracious and generous in our love for them and respond with a love mission, demonstrating love in action towards them. It is important that we uphold each other’s perspectives together, respect each other’s positions and celebrate God’s presence in our midst, for love is the DNA of Christian faith. In situations of rejection, love is the only response.

Secondly, any discrimination of any person based on one’s own prejudices and assumptions is unchristian and inhuman. Who said carpenters cannot speak wisdom and perform deeds of power? For there is no longer male or female, master or slave, Greek nor Jew, carpenter or local preacher, vicar or doctor, teacher or nurse, child or adult, straight or gay, for we are all one in Christ. It is God who calls, and it is God’s grace which invites people to share God’s words, and so the emphasis should be on God and God’s grace and not on any individual merit or profession or identity. God is a God of love, and so in love God calls anyone to be God’s co-workers in the Kingdom of God. So, any discrimination, any distinction and any division should not be tolerated and should be resisted.

Thirdly, God in Jesus is sending us out into the world two by two, in partnerships, in companionships to be part of God’s love mission, to spread love and to demonstrate love in action. ‘Church on the market place’ has been an initiative where we go two by two in the town centre to talk to people, to listen to people, to identify with people and to spread the love of God in the community. When Jesus sent his disciples two by two to mission, they did not come back to say we have brought thirty people to Jesus, nor did they say we have planted some ten churches, all they did was cast the demons, curing the sick and anointing people with oil. Our call is to spread the love of Christ, be a witness for Christ’s love and to celebrate God’s presence in our localities.

May we as friends of Jesus join with him in taking a knee with teams who amplify the message of ‘no to racism’, ‘red card to racism’ and strive towards a just and equal society. Amen.

Raj Bharat Patta,

02.07.2021

Pic credit: https://www.technicalripon.com/sports/england-vs-croatia-fa-urges-fans-to-respect-players-taking-a-knee-at-wembley-football-news/