April 12, 2025

Luke 9:12-17
Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”
(About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples did so, and everyone sat down.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.
Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people.
They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

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Feed us, Lord, until we want no more.

No more fast food, quick prayers and praise.
No more “microwave” worship.
No more stagnant, flat water in our baptismal font.

Lord, give us fresh bread.
Give us a fresh word from on high.
Feed us heavenly manna
that has been made by the hand of God.
Fill our spiritually empty bellies with spiritual food that will not spoil.

Fill us with a bottomless anointing!
May your Spirit multiply our meager expectations
with lavish abundance
of a joy-filled hope in your hands, O God.

There is always more than enough in your hands.
God, there is never a lack or scarcity in your hands.
God, there is always a full pot with plenty left over in your hands.
God, there are always more loaves.
Thank you that even when we can't figure it out,
you have already worked it out.

Help us to remember to always look to heaven,
to the one who is the author and the finisher of our faith:
Jesus Christ, the righteous one.
Thank you, God, for the infilling of your Spirit.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.