Lichtstrahl 182 - The crowds were seeking him and were nourished by his apostles

​LICHTSTRAHL 182          GOSPEL:  Luke 9 (1-17)                           TRINITY   18.8.24
                                       
THE CROWDS WERE SEEKING HIM AND WERE NOURISHED BY HIS APOSTLES
 
Dear friends!
 
A plant takes a long time to germinate, grow, get strong and produce a flower with seed.  And then the seeds need a prepared soil to be able to start a new cycle of time and plantformation again.  The flower, carrying the seed, is the aim of all plantlife and without having reached a seed-producing flower, this particular plant would disappear from earth……
 
The flower however is essentially dependent on warmth and light of the fire of the sun to develop the seed and reach its fulfilment.
 
When the Christ Jesus sent out his twelve apostles they also had grown in their souls.  They had reached a high level of understanding, of experience, of heartforces, of truth and trust in their personal abilities.  They had reached that point in their personal development through following him on his paths, through witnessing his being and through listening to his teachings. The more they became his true disciples the more they had to enter into the process of a fiery transformation in their own soul life.  Through that they became true flowers carrying future seeds in the garden of their master.
 
We had the opportunity a few weeks ago to listen to the gospel of Peter’s objections and disability.  He did not feel capable in that moment to carry the consequences of his decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ, to try and fulfil his destiny of being a rock for the Christian church to be built on.  And so we can imagine that each and every one of the apostles had their true trials in staying with the others and with their master.  Trials, that reveal themselves in a fiery process, where flames burn down the old and needless habits and opinions and make way for something new.  These fiery trials did however not send them to hell - as is taught sometimes - but were a portal of clarification and purification leading towards future tasks.
 
When they came to the point of putting their new abilities into practice and start serving, not only receiving, they were sent out by their master. Being well prepared by Him they were able to teach, to proclaim the gospel, to heal the sick and to return.  And they told him, surely proudly, of all that they had been able to do.
 
And he withdrew with them to be alone with them.  Why did he do that?  Because he could clearly see, that they had given their utmost and that they surely were tired and exhausted and needed some time of and recovery, self perception and strengthening. 
 
But the crowds then heard about it and they followed him.  And one can imagine that that moment became a fiery process in Jesus Christ himself.  He had to let go of his care for his apostles and his longing to strengthen them in Bethsaida, a place of retreat and recovery.  And so he started speaking to the crowds again and to heal all those who were needy of healing.  If one goes on reading this gospel, it tells about the feeding of the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.  He entrusted his disciples with handing it out nourishment to five thousand hungry followers.  Everyone was nourished and twelve baskets were left over!  A new ability had arisen:  the apostles were able to hand out nourishment to a great crowd of needy followers.
 
Dear friends, a trial of fire is a portal to new strength and ability.  In plantlife it is the fire of the sun that ensures future growth, in human soul life it ensures that as well. 
 
If we, either in our personal growth or in the life of our congregation or other communities want to reach our high aims, we will encounter times of fire. We can be sure, that in these times we are not alone, but guided by spiritual forces, that trust us and will provide us with future possibilities and growing.
 
Christine Voigts.