The Bible — the story of God’s plan for human salvation — is a fine example. There are many stories, sub-plots and supporting characters at work simultaneously. Individuals who seem to be insignificant often receive only casual mention — perhaps only a couple of verses — only to become crucial to the outcome of the biblical drama.
Centuries before King David’s conquest of Jerusalem, it was a Canaanite city that supposedly worshipped pagan gods. At this point in the story the Jews were not a clearly defined nation and Abraham was still called Abram. Melchizedek was not a Jew and yet he was described as a priest of the Most High God. That such a priest with a clear understanding of God as the creator of heaven and Earth was found behind the walls of a pagan city should encourage us to pause and reflect. He blessed our father in faith in the name of the Most High God and Abram accepted that blessing and gave him a tithe of his war booty.
Blessing and sharing was a pattern often repeated in the Scriptures in relation to God and His messengers and was expressed most fully in the life of Jesus. Melchizedek vanished from the story after this cameo appearance but made a reappearance in Psalm 110 as an ideal priest and in the Dead Sea Scrolls as a heavenly judge and king. The tradition continued to develop, and the Letter to the Hebrews portrayed him as a transcendent, semi-divine, miraculously born personage — in other words, a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. It was in the New Testament that so many of those parallel stories finally came together.
When reading Scripture, it is important to view the “big picture” or the entire story. This requires patience and openness, as well as a willingness to be surprised. God is not confined by walls, traditions or national ideologies but works unceasingly and everywhere for the healing and redemption of humanity.
Paul was the first to describe the Last Supper in the First Letter to the Corinthians, which predates the Gospels by at least 20 years. The Supper was simple yet profound: blessing and sharing. When the followers of Jesus assembled for the ritual memorial meal they kept the flame of faith, hope and love alive and proclaimed the work of Jesus to the world. They also made a promise: to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to be disciples as well as believers.
The multiplication of the loaves and fishes communicated dramatically the compassionate care of God and the abundance that is found in the Spirit. The scene was a replay of the Israelites’ journey across the desert after leaving Egypt. In the midst of a hostile desert environment, the people grew fearful and began to complain about the lack of food and water. God provided for them repeatedly by means of water from a rock, flocks of quail and manna. The people had to learn trust and reliance on God but they were not much more successful than we are. It was a long and painful process. The familiar pattern of blessing and sharing was expressed in the words and gestures of Jesus — and there was more than enough for all. God was once again affirmed as our sustainer and provider.
When we take what we have in gratitude and share it generously miracles do indeed happen. Focusing fearfully on scarcity and lack is an unhelpful way of blocking the compassionate power of God. The miraculous feeding and the Eucharist are more than a ritual — they model a way of life that is life-giving and God-revealing. There is more than enough on this planet for everyone, but only if we master the divine art of blessing and sharing.