Write and live and love

John 6:1-15

          And Jesus said that 'if you had the faith the size of a mustard seed that mountain would be thrown into the sea'. We fail to realize the extent of the power we hold. But not like the Jews in Jesus' time who were expecting a warrior hero messiah, we too may have a wrong idea about our power. Perhaps we think if we have power we could actually move a mountain into the sea, or some other fete of magic. Perhaps we could lay our hands on someone and remove their cancer. Perhaps we could be an empath like Gem in Star Trek.

          We have such expectations and some of those expectations may be realistic but I think we fail to see the power we already exert. There is an old commercial for some hair product that shows a person and relates 'if you tell two people' (the screen divides in three) and they tell two people and then they tell two people... The screen splitting exponentially and simply having started by telling two people. It sounds like a good business model but for me it shows the power we have in our hands. Not unlike the ripples in a lake from throwing a rock, the waves reach to all four corner of the pond.

          We might poo poo the result of our actions because of their simplicity. The truth is that even a small act of love can have a profound effect. We are accustomed to thinking about doing something 'big', some grand gesture when a simple act of love can be immensely profound. The result can be exponential.

          As an out and proud man, I am called to live a good and decent life. Oh that's right, we are all called to do that, straight or gay, no matter who we are. Somehow though the eyes are on me and every other gay person. Already vilified by so many, my life and my love becomes a beacon to all those who see how I live. Unfairly or not, my community is judged by my actions, how I love and how I live. The results of my love can be exponential for the gay community. I write this blog and I see a few hits from far away places. I don't hear from anyone, the few responses I have ever gotten are from my spouse and a friend or two here and there. I see hits from every country but I hear nothing. Yet I don't know who it is that's reading from so far away. I don't know what influence or role I play with my challenging or uplifting words. I pray to help simply one person but I know that if I can reach just one person with love and hope the results can be profound. So I write and live and love.

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.  A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

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