There are moments in life when a single word can change everything.
“Yes.”
It is a simple word, but it has the power to change the course of our lives. We say “yes” to relationships, to opportunities, to new responsibilities, and sometimes to paths we never imagined we would walk.
Faith is no different.
This Sunday we hear Isaiah proclaim God’s invitation: “Come, everyone who thirsts.” There are no prerequisites. No entrance exam. No requirement to prove our worthiness. God simply invites us to come and receive what only God can give.
In the Gospel, Jesus and the disciples are surrounded by a hungry crowd. The disciples see only what is lacking. There is not enough food. There is not enough money. There is not enough time. Their solution seems practical: send the people away.
Jesus sees the same crowd through different eyes.
"You give them something to eat."
At first, that sounds impossible. The disciples have only five loaves and two fish. But Jesus does not ask them to create abundance. He asks them to trust Him with what they already have. Jesus blesses the bread, breaks it, and places it back into the disciples' hands so that everyone is fed.
There is something very important in that moment. Jesus does not do all the work Himself. He invites His followers to participate in what God is already doing.
That invitation continues today.
Next Sunday, we will welcome our bishop as some members of our parish publicly affirm their faith through Confirmation. This is a joyful occasion, but it is not about reaching a finish line. This is an opportunity to say "yes" once again to the life God has already begun within us.
In the Episcopal Church, we often speak of the ministry of all the baptized. That phrase reminds us that ministry is not reserved for bishops, priests, or deacons. In fact, the Book of Common Prayer begins its description of the Church's ministers with lay people. This is intentional. The Church's ministry is lived out every day through the lives of baptized Christians who seek to love God and love their neighbors wherever they are called.
Some are called to teach.
Some to serve.
Some to lead.
Some to encourage.
Some to care for those who are lonely or hurting.
Some to quietly offer hope in places where hope is difficult to find.
Every calling matters because every baptized person has been entrusted with sharing God's love in ways that are uniquely their own.
That is why Confirmation matters. It reminds us that following Jesus is not a one-time decision but a lifelong journey of saying "yes" to God's invitation. This invites all of us to reflect on our own Baptismal Covenant and the promises we continue to make: to follow Jesus, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and to strive for justice and peace while respecting the dignity of every human being.
As we prepare for next Sunday's visitation, perhaps the most important question is not whether someone else will stand before the bishop.
Perhaps the question is this:
Where is God inviting me to say "yes" again?
For when we trust God's invitation, offer what we have into Jesus’ hands, and join in the ministry of all the baptized, we discover that God is still feeding a hungry world through ordinary people, one faithful "yes" at a time.
Kevin+
