Today, we hear Peter, full of love and excitement, bravely naming Jesus the Messiah and receiving great praise from his beloved teacher: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” And, with the praise, power: the keys to the kingdom; the authority to bind and to set free.

How Peter’s heart must have soared.

But, with apologies to Peter, we’re going to peek ahead and see what happens next.

This summer, we’ve been reading the family stories in the Book of Genesis, beginning with the call to Abram and Sarai and moving down through the generations to Joseph and his brothers…And although our lives are, by and large, a little less epic; they are not less complicated, bringing both joys and sorrows, ease and anxiety, love and hatefulness. What is God’s involvement in our lives? And where does our own free will come into play?

A crowd has followed Jesus out into the wilderness, seeking healing even as he is seeking some quiet. Moved to compassion, he cures their sick, working all day to care for them. Finally, it is evening and the disciples want to send everyone on their way to find their own dinners. They themselves have thought ahead and brought dinner with them. Jesus, however, refuses to break up the party. “They need not go away;” he says “You give them something to eat.” Then he takes what the disciples have and blesses it, making it sufficient for the task. Then he gives it back to the disciples so that they may feed the people.