Loaves and Fishes
“Young people say, “What can one person do? What is the sense of our small effort?” They cannot see that we can only lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time; we can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment. But we can beg for an increase of love in our hearts that will vitalize and transform these actions, and know that God will take them and multiply them, as Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes.”
–Dorothy Day, The Catholic Worker, September 1957
Free Read Tandy
I often hear from friends that they want to give up their ministry. The need is overwhelming, and they cannot imagine how their small part can make any difference. My response is that God calls us to bloom where we are planted in our small part of the world, try to help and make changes right where we are, and let God take over the rest.
This 20th-century social activist reminds us of something else we should have remembered. We do what God calls us to do, and God will multiply the works we have done, just like the loaves and fishes. How exciting that the story of the multiplying loaves and fishes did not only happen in Jesus’ time. It happens every day, every hour we do ministry.
I am thinking of one friend, Tandy Cobb, who decided she was being called to send books to women in prison during the scariest part of the pandemic. Tandy is a retired, much beloved high school English teacher who still wanted to share her love of reading with others and heard a call to women’s prison ministry. She presented her idea to our Daughters of the King (DOK) and then to the congregation at Saint Mark’s.
As a result, 23 St. Mark’s parishioners joined the ministry, including 16 DOK members. The books go directly to inmates who have requested them and are not returned. One group called other individuals and bookstores for paperback books. The Boy Scouts helped move books and gave up a part of their scout hut to store them. Donations of money and paperbacks came in. Members of the group met with Tandy for three days each month to fill orders from the women in prison.
Then, the chaplain at the prison wanted the group, now called Free Read, to send books to the men’s prison as well. So recently, they filled an order from 324 men and women for 648 books. Sheila and Carly, two other team members, delivered the two carloads of books to the prison.
The notes written by inmates on their book request forms let them know that Free Read is a program that matters to them. They received letters saying they would leave prison before the last shipment of books they ordered, but could the books be sent to their home address? Most notes are expressions of gratitude, but they frequently receive glimpses of their lives. One man asked them to pray for his release. One lady asked for a large print Bible for her bunk-mate, who is almost blind. Another Free Read regular wrote she has no family to visit her, so she looks forward to receiving books each month. Recently, Mary wrote, “Thank you for the wonderful books. We so enjoy sharing them. So many special friendships are formed. We learn a lot about one another. God bless you.”
The group at Saint Mark’s repeatedly talks about how this ministry blesses them.
Some might believe God is still in “the multiplying the loaves and fishes” business.
carly free read