He was moved with compassion for them

Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat." But he answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" But he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish." Then he commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fish he divided among them all. So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he sent the multitude away. And when he had sent them away, he departed to the mountain to pray.

- Mark 6:30-46

The miracle of this feeding of five thousand people appears in all four gospels. It is that central to the mission of Christ--and our understanding of what he is about.

Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. The apostles have returned from their first mission. My study bible notes that the word "apostle" (meaning, "one who is sent") appears frequently in the epistles but rarely in the gospels. It means that this is an official representative who is authorized to carry out a specific mission. We recall that Jesus always takes time to be by himself, to rest and pray. We might say, to "recharge his batteries." There are always periods of time set aside for this after demanding work. A good thing to take into account for ourselves! After his apostles' demanding first mission, he encourages them to do the same. He always withdraws to a "deserted place." We get a picture of great work, a bustling ministry: there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. Note that the theme of eating is introduced here -- the apostles themselves go without during their ministry while tending to their mission.

So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. So much takes place coming and going, and crossing, the Lake, the Sea of Galilee. There is this vision of boats on the sea in many stories, and people looking and following where Jesus is going because of the direction of the boats. So they depart, here, for a deserted place in the boat by themselves. But the people are following Jesus now in great movements, so much is their desire for him. They see where the boat is headed, and arrive on foot before Jesus and his disciples. Rather than being annoyed because his plans for rest are disrupted, Jesus sees the true condition of this crowd. He is "moved with compassion for them," we are told, "because they are like sheep without a shepherd." So he began to teach them: this is what rational sheep need. They need teaching, guidance, direction. And we, of course, are his "rational sheep." Jesus does not stint in his teaching; he begins to teach them many things.

When the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat." But he answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" But he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish." The apostles try to prepare for the day's need for food. They tell Jesus the hour is late, let the people go and buy themselves food. They've come without preparation, chasing Jesus in their hunger for the spiritual bread he offers. But this is an occasion, a special time. "You give them something to eat," Jesus says. Of course, the apostles don't understand. Two hundred denarii is about 200 days' work for a laborer of this time. Jesus tells them to gather what they have: five loaves and two fish.

Then he commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fish he divided among them all. So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men. We have here a picture of the Eucharist. The people are sat down in orderly fashion, even in ranks, all is done in an organized way. Jesus takes the bread and the fish, looks up to heaven, blesses and breaks the loaves. Then they are given to the disciples to distribute to all. "All ate and were filled." And there is food left over, twelve baskets worth. We are told there were five thousand men, but my study bible notes there were undoubtedly women and children present as well -- but according to cultural custom, only the approximate number of men is given. My study bible also notes something significant in this great "sign" for the apostles: "whatever they have is enough to feed the people, whether physically or spiritually. God can multiply our resources so that everyone can be filled. But we must participate in His grace: Christ, along with the Father, blesses the loaves, but the disciples distribute them." It notes further that Jesus' sustenance is never exhausted, just as is His eucharistic body, multiplied and distributed. In the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church, which I find quite beautiful, the words for the Eucharist read as follows: it is "ever eaten and never consumed, sanctifying those who partake." Of course, this feeding of the five thousand is also central to the gospels as a "type" -- a sign that reflects events from the Old Testament; in this case, the manna from heaven that fed Israel in the wilderness. And we will read again of another feeding miracle in the gospel of Mark when we reach chapter 8.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he sent the multitude away. And when he had sent them away, he departed to the mountain to pray. Once again, Jesus continues with his purpose -- to withdraw to pray when he needs to. Always, there is time to be by himself with the Father. It doesn't matter what spectacular power he has, he needs time to withdraw and be by himself. A great lesson for us all!

There are so many elements to this story. There is, first of all, its centrality to all four of the gospels. There is the common phrase used when Jesus interacts by invoking his power to help others in any way: Jesus was "moved with compassion for them." The people are like sheep without a shepherd, and they need his love and teaching. But there are other needs, too. He tells the apostles, "You give them something to eat." And the apostles cannot understand how this can happen; how can they buy enough bread? But whatever they have, no matter how small it seems, "it is enough." The bread is blessed and broken and distributed. Jesus first "looks up to heaven" and we understand how the Father is involved in all, whether giving thanks (the word in Greek is "eucharisto," ευχαριστω, from which comes our word Eucharist) or invoking the power of the Holy Spirit, or blessing. The multitudes are fed in the "deserted place," with more left over. All of these elements are a part of the story, and they must also be a part of our story. And, in the end, the need for rest is continued and pursued and fulfilled: Jesus withdraws to the mountaintop to be alone and to pray. This part is never left out of the story, and we should not leave it out of our lives either.

I think it's really important to understand that "it is enough." The apostles have just returned from their first mission, and they are very busy, so busy that they don't have time to eat themselves. But Jesus not only tells them to get away and to rest. When others follow, those others are fed with teaching from Jesus: our spiritual food, our "daily bread" if you will. But when it is time to rest, and to eat, Jesus makes time for all five thousand for that, too. Whatever the apostles have to give, it is enough. What they have done and can do, it is enough. And when it is time to withdraw, it is enough. All are included in this compassion and loving care for our needs as human beings. We are spiritual creatures: we also need time to withdraw and to care for ourselves, and nothing could make it clearer to us that Our Lord knows this than this scenario. We can do our spiritual work only if we pay attention to all our needs, and have confidence that "it is enough." We must look to him, to heaven, to bless what we have and to be willing to understand how and what and why and when and where it is enough, and keep our eyes open to the possibilities that are there for us in His will and through grace. Jesus draws out the potentials in all situations and in his disciples and followers. So, today, in this time of Lent, let us set aside some time and withdraw. Ask yourself how are you enough? With what you have, what can you do? Ask to be shown this today, and be prepared to receive startling answers. There are many ways in which "we are enough" but we have to be open-minded enough to understand and accept them, and move forward. We need the help of heaven to see it, and to accept the help we have, and draw out of ourselves what we possibly couldn't see otherwise, with God's help.