A Juneteenth Homily: Khalilah Kersey

The following is a homily written on June 19, 2022:

When the crowds found out about it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed to be cured. The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” They did so and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

-Luke 9:11-17, NRSV

I actually want to read a couple of verses from John 5. It says, “Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.’”

Was Jesus not simply doing what His father did before Him? Remember that in Exodus God provided for the Israelites so that no one went hungry and they were all satisfied.

People often point to this Luke passage as one of Jesus’ great miracles, and it definitely is but I want to point to something I find even more incredible – His compassion. And I have to speak on this because this is what saves me every time. This is what gives me hope, and I worry that we don't know how to be in awe of the Lord’s goodness. So my hope is that when we learn to revere the compassion of the Lord in the same ways as his tangible and outward miracles then we can begin to really come alive.

The miracle isn’t only in the provision of needs or the making of a way where there seems to be no way. It is also in the giving. It is in the way Jesus claims responsibility over his people’s well-being, just as Our Father did long ago with the Israelites. The movement that happens within our spirit when we have enough compassion for others to lay ourselves down for them is a miracle.

The miracle is in the giving and not just food. Ultimately, what Jesus has learned from Our Father, what He has seen Him do, is give Himself. We know that we must do the same, not simply because we want to be good for Jesus but because we have the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit surely is only doing what the Father is doing.

Is it true for you that you can do nothing by yourself? Do you know that the Father loves you and has shown you all He does? This is what Jesus claims and are we not with Him in that?

So we see Jesus give, but I also want to highlight that what we also see is that there is much to receive.

Receiving is a necessary part of our communion with Christ and with each other. So, I urge you to receive. Take the food, the money, the help, the love. Receive the correction, the sharpening, the breaking down, and the building up, and witness how participating in the kingdom of God in these ways brings you closer to Him and to His people.

Lastly, receive one of the best gifts that has ever been offered to us – Christ’s body and His blood. Let it heal you, and convict you, and bring you into communion with your Lord who has been good to you. And He has been very good to you. Happy Juneteenth. Amen.

Khalilah Kersey is a former Wesley intern and remains a vital pillar of our community. She is loved by all who know her, and her witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest blessings to the Wesley.