Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

- John 6:1-15

In the past couple of readings, we have been reading Jesus' teachings on the relationship of Father and Son, and all that it means for our faith. This teaching was given to the leaders of the temple, who chastised Him for telling a paralytic to "take up his bed" and walk. See He who hears my word and I can of Myself do nothing. Today we turn to another miraculous sign, situated once again at the time of a religious feast.

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. My study bible notes: "The theme of Christ as the Giver of Life is continued throughout this chapter. Jesus, who gives Himself 'for the life of the world' (v. 51), is depicted as the Bread of Life which is received through faith and sacrament. The Sea of Galilee is actually a lake about 7 miles wide and 13 miles long. Its crossing by the Savior (vv. 16-21) is reminiscent of the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the Israelites." We will read further in this chapter as we continue with the readings. For today, we continue in the setting of the "Giver of Life" that we were to understand from Jesus' discourse at the temple over the past two days' readings, after the healing of the paralytic.

Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. We understand Jesus' compassion on the diseased. In today's reading we will understand another aspect of His compassion. My study bible notes: "The feeding of the multitude is the fourth of Jesus' miraculous signs reported by John; it is recorded in all four Gospels. Placed against the background of the Passover, this sign is a fulfillment of Old Testament messianic prophecies and types, especially the miraculous gift of manna which fed the Israelites in the wilderness after the Exodus. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them, a description which has eucharistic overtones."

Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. My study bible notes, "The Passover coincided with the Feast of Unleavened Bread which commemorated not only the Exodus from Egypt, but the first food from grain eaten in the Promised Land after the crossing of the Jordan." So, Jesus has crossed the Sea of Tiberias (or Galilee), and has come to the mountaintop, a frequent setting for the times when God's work is revealed in the world, a place of epiphany.

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. My study bible says, "Philip is tested because he needs to understand who Christ is. Andrew sees the loaves and fish, yet he sees no potential in them. 200 denarii corresponds to about 200 days' wages for a laborer. Barley was generally used by the poorer people -- it cost less than wheat and was ready for harvest in the springtime at Passover." What I like about this passage is its example of how we start in life when we have a problem. We look around to see what there is available, and what we can make of things. Jesus rather meticulously sets the scene by asking Philip, "Where shall we buy bread?" We understand the situation, and the scarcity, and the problem. And we start with what we have, though the situation may seem "hopeless" - five barley loaves and two small fish. I find this setting corresponds to the ways we may set about dealing with our problems in life.

Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. My study bible notes, "Given thanks is from the Greek verb eucharisto. The multiplication of the loaves provides the context for the following day's discourse on the Bread of Life. Note the process: (1) giving of thanks; (2) distribution of the gifts, first to the disciples and then by the disciples to the people, and (3) partaking. What a remarkable preview of the Eucharist!" In our corresponding look at problems in our own lives and how we handle them, I feel that we turn to Christ in our assessment of what is available and then how to proceed. Oftentimes, starting with the smallest step, we go forward - and we have no idea what will result, with God's help. To give thanks is also a way to acknowledge and to invite that help; we understand that it is there, and the material outlook is not all there is to life nor to our situation.

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. My study bible notes here: "As with the manna in the wilderness (Ex. 16:16-21), nothing of the gift of God should be lost. In contrast to the manna, here we have an abundance of twelve baskets of leftovers, one for each disciple." The abundance symbolizes our understanding of the power that is here in Christ, in this mountaintop experience. I have found for myself, in dealing with problems in which I felt great scarcity, that with time and prayer, what looked like an impossible situation eventually turned into great abundance and blessings - just perhaps not in ways I had planned, expected, or looked for. God's work on this mountaintop is surprising, eye opening, and that is the way His power will work in our lives. But we must also accept and understand the forms in which it comes. We recall Moses' constant difficulties with the people, who grew unsatisfied with the manna as well! The disciples, of course, are those who will go on to distribute Christ's word, who will be sent out to others in the world. So we too can take that abundance to others, and share our experiences of faith.

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. My study bible notes here, "The Galilean Jews, with their misguided messianic enthusiasm, equate Jesus with the Prophet of Deut. 18:15-19, whom they expect to be an earthly, political leader who will lead them against the occupying Romans, as Moses led his people out of bondage. Because He is not to fulfill these expectations, Jesus withdraws from the crowd." I think it's very important that we understand that God's fulfillment of prayer may not come in the form that we expect it to. We always have new things to learn -- our expectations may not be what is best for us, nor fulfill the new things we need to learn from a situation. And, fulfillment may also involve a loss: a loss of expectations and certainties, moving forward into new and uncharted territory. The great Gift that Christ is in the world is also a new message: this is not the Prophet that was expected.

God opens up new doors when He fulfills our prayers. Here, in this mountaintop experience, Christ offers Himself, but not to fulfill the people's dreams of a king that will provide all. That is a limitation of what He is, not the truth of Himself that is offered. In fulfillment of prayer, we may find ourselves disappointed, even unable to see what blessings there are. We may have to lose our limitations and limited thinking, so that it feels like a loss if we cannot or do not immediately see the bigger picture. But that's what we have to embrace. What is it in your life that needs fulfillment? Can you call on Christ in prayer? Can you expect to be surprised, to lose your expectations in exchange? I find this happens over and over again in my life, and with others who share their experiences with me. Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees, and we can't experience the gift we're offered because we're not open to finding it, we're looking for something different. Jesus presents Himself as the Gift, and we have to accept it, on God's terms. What are our expectations? What are the rewards? Sometimes we have to have our hearts and minds open to see it and receive it, when its abundance is sitting right in front of us - because we're hoping for something else. But Christ, I find, always takes us forward with Him, into new territory and new understanding. An experienced, wise friend of mine told me recently that we just have to have our minds open to it - and that so many people don't. How are you being taken forward today?