NeuroDivine

Psalm 56 | Isaiah 30:19-33 | Matthew 14:13-36 | RB Chapter 56

Today I hear the psalmist say: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” That is my prayer in the dialysis chair. Fear is real—fear of frailty, of stigma, of the unknown—but trust becomes the rhythm that steadies me. The hum of the machine is not just medical; it is a reminder that my life is held in God’s care.

Isaiah promises that God bends close to the sound of our cry, that bread and water will be given, and that the teacher will not hide. I know what it is to cry out, carrying difference that others sometimes misunderstand. Yet here I am told: my cry is not ignored, my need is not shameful. God’s hospitality meets me where I am, not where others think I should be.

In Matthew, Jesus feeds the multitude and calms the storm. The disciples see scarcity and danger; Jesus reveals abundance and presence. I know that feeling—seeing too little, feeling overwhelmed. Yet Christ says to me: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Bread is enough, storms are stilled, and I am not alone. Even in the dialysis chair, even in the storm of stigma, Christ is present.

The Rule of St Benedict reminds me that the Abbess’s table is with the guests and pilgrims. Leadership is solidarity, not separation. That speaks to me: the table is where Christ is host, and all are welcome. My own life, marked by illness and difference, is not outside that fellowship—it is part of it. I am both guest and host, receiving bread and offering witness that no one is excluded.

Woven Together

Fear and trust. Hospitality and presence. Abundance and calm. Solidarity at the table.

These are not separate themes; they are one fabric. My life, with its rhythms of dialysis and its witness as someone living with HIV, is not beyond grace—it is at the heart of it. The Eucharistic table, the Abbess’s table, even the dialysis chair: all are places where Christ meets me, where trust is renewed, where hospitality is shared, where storms are calmed.

I am fed, I am held, I am part of the fellowship. And I carry that truth into the world: that God’s table is wide enough for every pilgrim, every cry, every body.

A Hymn in response.

I sometimes find it helpful to gather the themes of the readings into a hymn, so they stay memorable in heart and voice.

Verse 1
When fear surrounds and shadows fall,
I lift my eyes to You;
Your steadfast love upholds my soul,
Your mercy sees me through.

Verse 2
You bend to hear the pilgrim’s cry,
You feed with bread of grace;
The storm is stilled, the waves subside,
We see Your shining face.

Verse 3
At table set for guest and friend,
Your fellowship is near;
In broken bread our lives are healed,
Your presence calms our fear.

Verse 4 (Doxology)
All glory to the Father’s name,
And to the risen Son,
The Spirit’s fire, one love proclaimed,
Eternal Three-in-One.

Amen.

Words Copyright (c) 2025 Michael McFarland Campbell. All rights reserved.

While all rights are reserved, the words may be used if you find them useful as long as I am credited.