We have here only five loaves and two fish

When Jesus heard it, he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out he saw a great multitude; and he was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." He said, "Bring them here to me." Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

- Matthew 14:13-21

Today's miracle in Matthew's gospel, the feeding of the five thousand, comes after Jesus has heard the news from John's disciples, that John the Baptist has been beheaded by Herod. In John's gospel, we read John the Baptist's words that are fulfilled at this time: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:29, 30). The bride, of course, are the people of God, or Israel. Today's feeding miracle is an illustration of Messianic power and image.

My study bible notes on this passage: "The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, reported by all four evangelists, shows Jesus feeding his people as God fed the Israelites in the desert. The Church Fathers see in this an image of the Eucharist, an idea also expressed in John 6, the discourse on the Bread of Life. In 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-10 another miracle is mentioned, in which Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few small fish. This miracle is probably not a duplicate report of the first miracle, but another performed in a different place. Moved with compassion is used in very similar situations (see 20:34; Mark 1:41; 6:34; Luke 7:13) to show the Messiah's power and authority extending to those who suffer."

When Jesus heard it, he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. We're given hints in the gospels all the time about Jesus' preferences. He prefers here to go to a deserted place by himself. We usually associate this with the desire to pray, to commune with the Father, after hearing the news about John the Baptist's beheading. But, even as the people in his own country rejected him (in Nazareth), the people here follow him on foot from the cities. He is clearly popular with the multitudes; he cannot get rid of them. This is an opportunity, in some sense, that is provided by the Father immediately after the death of John the Baptist.

And when Jesus went out he saw a great multitude; and he was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. As noted in my study bible, this is an example of Jesus' compassion on those who suffer. He goes away to pray and be alone in a deserted place, but those who follow him need his help.

When it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." Jesus' compassion extends to the needs of the crowd for food. It's as if his mourning and sorrow for John the Baptist is turned into compassion for these people who need him, for whom he is present in the world. Perhaps it is read as a signal by the Father for what he is now to do, after the death of the Baptist.

And they said to him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." He said, "Bring them here to me." Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Whatever is at hand will do. This is the nature of divine power: it works with what we have at hand, what is in our means to grasp. My study bible notes, "Jesus is teaching us not to eat until we first give thanks to God. The terminology reminds us of the Last Supper (see Luke 22:15-20) and leads to the Eucharistic interpretation of this miracle. The participation of the disciples in distributing the loaves and the fish is important. In the Church Jesus feeds his flock at the Eucharist through his servants, the priests."

So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Everyone ate and was filled - there was enough, the miracle is complete in the fullest sense of the word. All is filled here in this scene: the people, the miracle, the profound holy power. And more: twelve baskets full of the fragments remain.

Just as Jesus has preached about the sower casting seeds to all who will listen, so this food is symbolic of Jesus' casting out food to all of us. There is tremendous abundance of spiritual food in his gospel. He casts it out to us and there is more than enough to be fulfilled and to have abundance left over. In the prayer he taught in the Sermon on the Mount, the Our Father, we pray for our "daily bread." It's important to remember the original Greek word we translate as "daily:" epiousion. This word is unique and seems to have been coined for the gospel. Taking apart the Greek it conveys the idea that this is a "supersubstantial" bread - a bread that is complete in many dimensions, and more. It is spiritual food that we need everyday, the spiritual bread with which Christ fills his guests at the wedding feast - and his bride, his people. With what bread - spiritual food - will you be fed today? Remember that when you give thanks, when you turn to God (Our Father), wherever you are and whatever you have, whoever you are, is enough. You ask for the spiritual power to make your life complete, replete - and let it work with what you have, right where you are. Nothing else is necessary. You start from what you have. This is the way that God works; the power of the holy, the Divine, simply needs to be included through prayer. Go to your deserted place, and start there, and invite in the Lord to do his work in you and in your life at that place wherever you are.