THE JOY OF JERUSALEM: SONS OF PROMISE AND BREAD OF LIFE
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| The Children of Promise in the New Jerusalem, Sharing in the Eternal Bread of Life, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) |
INTRODUCTION
Good morning! Welcome to St. Alopen's Cathedral Parish, a place where we encourage one another in the Lord, work towards our own salvation with fear and trembling, as St. Paul admonishes, knowing that we can easily become shipwrecked if we forget the first works, cease repenting, and merely act as if we are holy. While we try to help others, ministering by the power of the Holy Ghost, we cannot forget the reason why we do it - not to help others, but to help ourselves learn the realty of who we really are, as sinners and fallen, and as beloved and cherished by the Lord Jesus. During Lent, we have a wonderful time remembering that we are truly just sinners, that we are in constant need of repentance, and that we are only saved by Christ's grace and mercy. May we help each other as we struggle to be saved: one with another, the whole for the maturity of the individual, and the individual sacrificing for the collective salvation of the Body of Christ!
SCRIPTURE
BRETHREN: Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: SAINT JOHN 6:1-14
AT that time: Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
SERMON
"Rejoice ye with Jerusalem: and be glad with her, all ye that love her" - these words from our Introit for this Fourth Sunday in Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, greet us like a burst of light amid the shadows of our Lenten journey. Today, we pause to breathe, to find refreshment in God’s providence, as we reflect on the feeding of the five thousand, the restoration of St. Isaac’s wells, and the liberty granted to the sons of the free woman. This is a day to celebrate both the Bread of Life that sustains us and the promise that sets us free - a dual gift from the heart of our Lord, calling us to rejoice in the heavenly Jerusalem, our true mother.
THE TWO CITIES AND THE PROMISE OF FREEDOM
Our readings today paint a vivid contrast between two Jerusalems: the earthly city, bound in sin and self-love, and the heavenly city, radiant with grace and the love of God. St. Paul, in Galatians 4:28, declares, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” Like St. Isaac, born of Sarah, the free woman, we are not enslaved to the Law’s yoke but are heirs to the covenant fulfilled in Christ. The Old Covenant, given through St. Moses, revealed our bondage; but “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17), ushering us into the liberty of the Spirit, which teaches us to do the good out of love and not out of fear.
St. Augustine, in “The City of God,” captures this beautifully: “Two loves have made two cities: the earthly by love of self even to contempt of God, the heavenly by love of God even to contempt of self.” Jerusalem below groans in captivity, but Jerusalem above, “which is the mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26), is free. This is our identity as Christians - not children of the bondwoman Hagar, but of the free woman Sarah, liberated by the true Isaac, Christ Himself.
The Old Testament gives us a shadow of this truth in Isaac’s sojourn in Gerar. Amid famine, God forbids him to flee to Egypt - that symbol of worldly reliance - and instead calls him to trust in the promise made to Abraham. The Philistines stop up his father’s wells, but Isaac perseveres, reopening them until he finds peace at Rehoboth, where “the Lord had made room for him to flourish.” This is the Church’s story too. Through heresies, schisms, and persecutions - whether the Arian crisis or the storms of modernity - the world has tried to choke the wells of divine truth. Yet, like St. Isaac, we dig again, trusting that God’s promises endure.
I think about how often my own life has felt like everything is suspended and dry, liked a stopped-up well - how many times financial strain, a family rift, and a spiritual distraction and a lack of self-control has left me parched. I was tempted to run to my own “Egypt” - quick fixes and distractions - but God nudged me to stay put, to dig deeper in prayer and Scripture, and to remember to "bloom where you are planted." While the "grass is always greener" somewhere else, God calls us into the dry and arid desert to teach us holy lessons. Slowly, He made room for me, and the water flowed again, like water from the rock that followed the Hebrew children. Maybe you’ve had your own Gerar moment - where will you dig today? The water is still there, but you have to struggle for a while for it, so that you will become stronger and be able to push back the attacks of the evil one.
THE TRUE KING AND THE VICTORY OF PRAYER
This theme of divine triumph continues in the Epistle from Acts 12. Herod, a tyrant of the earthly city, seeks to crush the Church, imprisoning St. Peter and killing James. Yet, the Church prays ceaselessly, and an angel breaks Peter’s chains, leading him to freedom. Herod is struck down, but “the word of God grew and multiplied” (Acts 12:24). The rulers of this world - whether Philistines opposing Isaac or Herods persecuting apostles - may flex their might, but their power is fleeting before the true King, Christ.
St. Gregory the Great reminds us: “When we trust in the princes of this world, we lean on a broken reed. But when we trust in Christ, the true King, we stand on an immovable rock.” St. Isaac trusted this rock in his wanderings; St. Peter leaned on it in his prison cell. And we, too, are called to this trust. Prayer isn’t a last resort - it’s our lifeline, breaking the chains of fear and despair.
This week, when you face a “Herod”, beloved over - a challenge that feels oppressive - gather a friend or two and pray. Not just a quick plea, but a persistent, trusting prayer. I’ve seen it work wonders in my own life, like when a group of us prayed for a friend’s healing, and the doctor’s next report baffled us all with unexpectedly good news. But, I've also asked God for life and favor and it wasn't granted, no matter how much haggling and bargaining I've done. God still sends His angels to us today. My father had some very unsettling stories to tell about being asked to go the extra mile with beggars and hitch-hikers, only to be shocked when they disappeared after reminding him of God's faithfulness. He always used to remind me what the Book of Hebrews said, that we "entertain angels unaware" (Hebrews 13:2).
THE BREAD OF LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS
The Gospel brings us to the heart of Laetare Sunday: Christ feeding the five thousand. In the wilderness, the Good Shepherd sees His weary flock and provides. St. Philip, bound by earthly logic, despairs: “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient.” But a lad offers five loaves and two fishes - meager, yet enough in Christ’s hands. As St. John Chrysostom notes, “Christ does not create from nothing but blesses the small portion and makes it great,” teaching us that faith turns little into abundance.
St. Augustine adds depth: “The five loaves signify the five books of Moses; the two fishes, the Prophets and the Psalms. Christ takes the Scriptures, blesses them, breaks them open, and feeds the people.” This miracle foreshadows the Eucharist, where Christ, the true Bread of Life, sustains us. Just as St. Isaac’s wells brought water to a dry land, and St. Peter’s deliverance refreshed the Church, so this Bread nourishes us in our Lenten wilderness. The fragments gathered afterward show God’s care - nothing is lost in His "Economy of Grace."
A few Lents ago, I trekked to Thailand to give much-needed food and resources to Pakistani Refugees in Thailand, handing out food to families in need. One day, we ran short, and I panicked - until one of our friends and priests in the local church ran up with food left over from his parish fellowship. It wasn’t much, but we blessed it, shared it, and everyone ate to their full, despite my lack. I felt like that lad with the loaves, marveling at how God multiplies our “little” when we give it to Him. What’s your five loaves today - time, a kind word, a small act? Offer it, and watch.
A WORD FROM THE ENGLISH PATRIMONY
The Caroline Divine Jeremy Taylor, in "Holy Living", reflects: “As Christ multiplied the loaves in the wilderness, so does He multiply His grace in our souls. We receive it in a small portion at first, but as we walk in obedience, it grows and sustains us unto eternal life.” Likewise, the Right Reverend Thomas Ken’s evening hymn sings, “Keep me, O keep me, King of kings, beneath Thine own almighty wings.” These voices remind us: the God who fed the multitude and freed Peter is our sustainer, turning our scarcity into abundance.
LIVING AS SONS OF PROMISE, FED BY THE BREAD OF LIFE
So, what do we do with this? Like Isaac, we dig again the wells of faith - Prayer, Scripture, the Holy Sacraments - restoring what the world has stopped up. Like St. Peter, we trust in prayer’s power, knowing God delivers. Like the five thousand, we come to Christ with our hunger, offering our little in faith, confident He’ll multiply it. This is our Lenten call: to live as sons of promise, free in grace, and to feast on the Bread of Life, sustained for the journey to the heavenly Jerusalem.
Again, from Fr. John Keble’s "The Christian Year", this poem captures this holy joy:
There is a book, who runs may read,
Which heavenly truth imparts,
And all the love its scholars need,
Pure eyes and Christian hearts.
And a poem of trust seals it:
O Lord, whose love is deep and wide,
Who feed’st the sparrow in her nest,
Thy saints have found Thee at their side,
Their portion sure, their refuge blest.
O Bread of Life, sustain our days,
O Living Stream, our thirst relieve,
And through this Lent direct our ways,
That we in Thee may ever live.
COLLECT
O Lord our God, who dost ever feed Thy people with the Bread that cometh down from heaven, and hast in Thy mercy called us from bondage unto liberty: Grant us so to hunger for the true Manna, which is Christ Himself, that being nourished by Thy grace, we may trust in Thy fatherly care, persevere in Thy holy will, and be strengthened for the journey, until we enter at last into the land of promise; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
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