The story of Jeroboam and the feeding of the four thousand sets up a contrast which can help us recognize the patterns created by our fallen nature and see how trusting God can change our world view.
Jeroboam’s actions in the first reading set a theme which is repeated throughout the book of Kings. A king rises to power. The king worries about losing his political power and corrupts the religion of the people of Israel in order to strengthen his hold on that power. (My Bible notes are very clear that such a corruption of religion; apostasy is the most grievous of sins.)
Jeroboam doesn’t just want a separate kingdom all his own, Jeroboam wants to reinforce his kingdom by emphasizing the differences between his kingdom and those around him by setting up a separatist religion. He leads people away from God’s kingdom in order to secure his own.
In contrast, people search out Jesus. They may not have the words to describe it, but they want what Jesus has. It’s true, many were looking toward Jesus as a military messiah who would reorder the world to their political advantage. Instead Jesus is establishing God’s kingdom on earth. He is bringing God’s love into a broken and hurting world. Rather than concerning himself with what is still needed, Jesus feeds literally thousands out of an abundance of God’s grace.
These two stories show us the contrast between living for a kingdom of flesh and the kingdom of heaven.
It is a guide for our everyday lives! When we live to establish our own little boundaries, to make our corner of the wide world fit our wants and needs, we too corrupt our religion, the religion of unending, undeserved, unearned love. We corrupt ourselves and our faith by placing barriers between ourselves and others. We start to have a limited view of resources and become concerned about whether or not we are receiving our fair share of the pie. But when we commit ourselves to living in God’s kingdom, we choose to trust in God’s ability to provide. We choose to live in God’s kingdom in the here and now, and recognize that heaven isn’t some far off place, but begins today. When we stop worrying about how to get there and start living like we are there, we begin to break the patterns of control we place on ourselves and the world and trust that God will provide. Food for four thousand was nothing for our God. What makes us think He can’t handle what worries us most?
For the next few minutes, choose to trust. Take that first step to let go and let God. Then when those minutes are up, choose again. As you work your way through the day minute by minute, choosing to trust God again and again, may you be flooded with grace upon grace, with an increased capacity for love, and with a little taste of the abundance of heaven here on earth.
La historia de Jeroboam y la alimentación de los cuatro mil establece un contraste que puede ayudarnos a reconocer los patrones creados por nuestra naturaleza caída y ver cómo confiar en Dios puede cambiar nuestra visión del mundo.
Las acciones de Jeroboam en la primera lectura establecen un tema que se repite a lo largo del libro de Reyes. Un rey asciende al poder. Al rey le preocupa perder su poder político y corrompe la religión del pueblo de Israel para fortalecer su control sobre ese poder. (Mis notas bíblicas son muy claras en cuanto a que tal corrupción de la religión, la apostasía, es el más grave de los pecados).
Jeroboam no sólo quiere un reino separado y propio, sino que quiere reforzar su reino enfatizando las diferencias entre su reino y aquellos que lo rodean mediante el establecimiento de una religión separatista. Aleja a la gente del reino de Dios para asegurar el suyo.
En contraste, la gente busca a Jesús. Quizás no tengan palabras para describirlo, pero quieren lo que Jesús tiene. Es cierto que muchos veían a Jesús como un mesías militar que reordenaría el mundo para su ventaja política. En cambio, Jesús está estableciendo el reino de Dios en la tierra. Está trayendo el amor de Dios a un mundo quebrantado y herido. En lugar de preocuparse por lo que todavía se necesita, Jesús alimenta literalmente a miles de personas con la abundancia de la gracia de Dios.
Estas dos historias nos muestran el contraste entre vivir para un reino de carne y el reino de los cielos.
¡Es una guía para nuestra vida cotidiana! Cuando vivimos para establecer nuestros propios pequeños límites, para hacer que nuestro rincón del amplio mundo se ajuste a nuestros deseos y necesidades, también corrompemos nuestra religión, la religión del amor interminable, inmerecido y no ganado. Nos corrompemos a nosotros mismos y a nuestra fe al colocar barreras entre nosotros y los demás. Empezamos a tener una visión limitada de los recursos y a preocuparnos por si estamos recibiendo o no nuestra parte justa del pastel. Pero cuando nos comprometemos a vivir en el reino de Dios, elegimos confiar en la capacidad de Dios para proveer. Elegimos vivir en el reino de Dios aquí y ahora, y reconocemos que el cielo no está en un lugar lejano, sino que comienza hoy. Cuando dejamos de preocuparnos por cómo llegar allí y comenzamos a vivir como si estuviéramos allí, comenzamos a romper los patrones de control que ponemos sobre nosotros mismos y el mundo y confiamos en que Dios proveerá. La comida para cuatro mil no era nada para nuestro Dios. ¿Qué nos hace pensar que Él no puede manejar lo que más nos preocupa?
Durante los próximos minutos, elige confiar. Da ese primer paso para soltar el control y dejar a Dios obrar. Luego, cuando se acaben esos minutos, elige de nuevo. A medida que avance el día minuto a minuto, eligiendo confiar en Dios una y otra vez, que sea inundado de gracia sobre gracia, con una mayor capacidad de amar y con una pequeña prueba de la abundancia del cielo aquí en la tierra.
Sheryl’s first calling is to be wife and partner to Tom, who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. She also gets to live out her passion for teaching and learning by serving as principal at St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Home is full with Carlyn, our goofy golden retriever, Lucy, our terrier mix wild child, and Mila, our very special Bernese Mountain dog.
Feature Image Credit: Jehyun Sung, unsplash.com/photos/6U5AEmQIajg
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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works full time, is a guest blogger on 
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