Today’s Bible reading

Jesus took his disciples with him to the village of Bethsaida, where they could be alone. But a lot of people found out about this and followed him. Jesus welcomed them. He spoke about God’s kingdom and healed everyone who was sick. Late in the afternoon the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd to the villages and farms around here. They need to find a place to stay and something to eat. There is nothing in this place. It’s like a desert!” Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”

But they replied, “We have only five small loaves of bread+ and two fish. If we are going to feed all these people, we will have to go and buy food.” There were about 5,000 men in the crowd. Jesus said to his disciples, “Tell the people to sit in groups of 50.” They did this, and all the people sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and fish and handed them to his disciples to give to the people. Everyone ate all they wanted. What was left over filled twelve baskets. – Luke 9:10-17

More thoughts for meditation

“We need the practice of incarnation, by which God saves the lives of those whose intellectual assent has turned dry as dust, who have run frighteningly low on the bread of life, who are dying to know more God in their bodies. Not more about God. More God.”   — Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World

Suggestions for action

Collect one small object before you return inside or choose an inside item before you close your door/window.  What do you sense in your body right now? Are you hungry or tired? Are you feeling energetic? Does something hurt? Do you feel relaxed or anxious? Spend some time paying attention, and talk about these things with God, who already knows.

Collect one small object before you return inside or close your door/window. Add this object to the altar you began earlier this week, or begin creating your altar if this is your first object. As you move through your day, pause to look at your altar to remember your need for the Bread of Life.