Sunday, July 18, 2021

Cut That Out!

This Sunday's reading from the Revised Common Lectionary used in most Episcopal parishes is Mark 6:30-34,53-56. As you can see there is a substantial omission. The story of the feeding of the five thousand gets cut. 

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Snip, snip, and continue, 

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

I guess the miracle of the loaves and fishes has been told too many times before. 

So, let them go hungry this Sunday.

What would St. Mark say? 

2 comments:

  1. Katherine8:13 AM

    Why on earth cut the feeding of the five thousand? Oh, it's to make him an itinerant miracle healer and nothing else.

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