The Dream of God
what part do we play?
In the hallway of one of my preschool music settings, I hear a teacher singing to her class of toddlers:
“Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is about a dream.”
The mis-sung lyric made me smile, but also, it made me think. If life is but a dream, then maybe we can let go of all the control we never really had in the first place, but if life is about a dream, just whose dream are we talking about here, and what part do we have to play in it?
In this time, when real harm is being purposefully inflicted on real people, when long-held values and ideals are being discarded every day, when the billionaire class is the fastest growing demographic in America and there seems to be no such thing as enough for some in positions of wealth and power, I find myself frequently wondering just how it is that some people sleep at night. And just whose dream are they participating in anyway, and does this dream settle well in their souls when they put their head on the pillow at night?
For professed Christians, how we operate in this life and how we treat the least of these matters. It matters to Jesus, and it matters to our sisters and brothers, and importantly, it matters to the state of our souls. The Gospel that Jesus lived and taught and died for is the Dream of God, and our work as Christians is to be about that Dream, but are we? And what would that even look like?
There’s an answer in the story of the loaves and the fish. (Matthew 14:13-21)
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
In the story, we learn a few things.
1. Though He had wanted to be alone, Jesus has compassion on the people, and on their needs. (empathy)
2. He acted to heal them. (action)
3. Jesus discounts the disciples’ suggestion to send the crowds away. (vision)
4. He directs the disciples to feed the crowd themselves. (an impossible task)
5. They provide what they have, Jesus multiplies it, and makes it more than enough. (a miracle)
And I’m wondering, friend, have you ever heard God direct you to do something impossible? I have, and I tell some of those stories here.1 In each instance, it took my ‘yes’ and the smallest of my movements toward it to set these impossible things into motion. As I look back, I see the kindness and the multiplication of God, making my efforts abundantly fruitful not just for others, but also for me on my own path.2
When we are about the Dream of God, our smallest offering can become much more than we can imagine. Mustard seed to overgrown plant, one kid’s lunch to an abundant feast, one paltry candle providing enough light to illuminate the growing darkness. It’s the upside-down economy of God, His gracious math that gives us agency to participate in His miraculous generosity even when it seems impossible. The good news is that when we make these moves, small as they are, we’re never acting alone.
So, knowing that gracious truth, in what way can we be about His Dream today? Be sure to tell me in the comments.
Raised Catholic rewind:
Raised Catholic episode 19: Finding God - transcript with link to episode
What I’m listening to/reading/recommending this week:
Find a new-to-you non-profit (local or otherwise) and donate time, talent or treasure
Bring a cup of coffee or smoothie to a teacher you know to thank them for their hard work in a challenging time (iykyk)
Take the time to make eye-contact with and smile at the people in your path, you never know when this might change someone’s whole day
Prayer:
God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. And help me God, not to shrink back from any good action just because it seems too small. Help me remember that nothing is too small in your economy where a mustard seed grows into the largest of plants.
In the name of Jesus and wrapped in the mantle of our Mother Mary, we pray, amen.
Raised Catholic episode: “Say Yes,” available wherever you get your podcasts.
He is so good like that.