Today's Mass readings speak of a richly generous God. Isaiah 25:6-10 "...the Lord of Hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines". Psalm 23 - need I quote? Matthew 15:29-37 is the story of Jesus feeding the 4000 (not including women and children). I grasped the point immediately: With 7 loaves and a few fish blessed by Jesus, the disciples fed the crowd and then gathered up 7 hampers full of leftovers. To me, this so obviously demonstrates God's abundant and generous love. He not only fills us, his love overflows and washes and consumes us. For me this is fact. He has demonstrated this to me over and over and over again in my life. Whether our feast was bread and butter sandwiches with water - and grateful for the butter to make the dry bread more palateable, or a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmin's, God's gracious hand has provided.
The problem came when I read the meditation, written so carefully by - a human! It started out well enough, a little humor, a little historical background. Then I got distracted. It said Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother 77 times. Wait, I thought that was 70 times 7?! Then again - it said the disciples started out with 7 baskets - wait! I just read that, it said 7 loaves, not 7 baskets. I despise it when people misquote Scripture! It's a pet peeve, what can I say? I want to know what version they found it in and what chapter and verse. Mentally I slapped myself upside the head. Back off, cynical self. These are minor details. It's not like misquoting the words of Jesus and leading people astray or using them for corrupt purposes.
So I summon up my self discipline and return my mind to the original point of the readings. Trusting in the abundance of God. In good times and bad. We are more important to Him than even the birds of the air, who neither plant, nor gather in, yet look at how our Father provides for them. (Did I quote that right?) If it's small stuff, don't sweat it.
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