2026 Pentecost Devotions I
Saturday, August 1
Matthew 14:13-21
13 Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist,] he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
“… 13 Now when Jesus heard [about the beheading of John the Baptist,] he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. …”
I believe this is one of those occasions when we truly see the humanity of Jesus. The news that John, his cousin and the one sent to prepare Jesus’ way, has been killed by King Herod comes to our Lord in the midst of his ministry in Galilee. It obviously hits him hard, so he steals away from the disciples, the crowds, and his work to contemplate John’s death.
For Jesus, the news is not only disturbing in that John was a friend and co-worker in the Gospel. For Jesus, it’s also a reminder of what may lie ahead for him. As John was arrested, imprisoned, and killed, so too Jesus will likely suffer the same fate. Certainly, this weighs heavily on Jesus as well.
Perhaps Jesus’ show of humanness offers a reminder to us that even our Lord needed time to process and come to grips with life and death. Certainly, we do. Whether we are reeling from the death of a loved one or contemplating our own demise, taking the time to faithfully reflect on the issues of life and death is important.
Thankfully, just as Jesus didn’t do it alone, neither do we. As our Lord pondered John’s death and his own future, the Holy Spirit abided with him, bringing comfort, consolation, and hope. That same Spirit abides with us during such times, offering to us those same gifts. In Jesus, we have an example of faithfulness. May we remain faithful in similar situations.
Prayer: Most Holy God, in Jesus, You have shown us faithfulness in the midst of life and death. So dwell with us during such times, reminding us of Your constant love, peace, and hope. Amen.