You give them something to eat

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money, and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them." So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty." And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

- Luke 9:1-17

In yesterday's reading, we read of the double-healing of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the years-long flow of blood. Jesus has time for everything, and healing takes place in so many different ways. See Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. My study bible notes here: "After being with His disciples for a considerable period, Jesus sends them out on their first mission, giving them power and authority to perform exorcisms and healings as well as to preach the dawn of the kingdom (v. 2)." In the readings through today, we have seen quite a busy ministry with many facets and aspects to it. Jesus travels everywhere, healing and performing exorcisms and preaching, and we repeatedly get a picture from Luke of very full days of this ministry. Today's reading is no exception. But today, we see the overflowing abundance of the ministry: it is now necessary to send out disciples or apostles (which literally means those who are sent) to spread this kingdom, and through whom those blessings of this ministry will also flow.

And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money, and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them." So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. We see that Jesus has taught them, essentially, to remain humble, to rely on the ministry itself to guide their way. The caution about staying and departing from the same house is one of teaching gracious humility: they are not to depart from one humble place to which they have been admitted for better quarters elsewhere, but to stay with those whose hearts first opened to them. Where they have no welcome, they are to shake off the dust from their feet "as a testimony against them," and to simply move on. We have already seen, in Luke's Gospel, communities who have rejected Jesus' healing ministry (see Tell what great things God has done for you).

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him. A note reads: "This is Herod Antipas (a son of Herod the Great), ruler of Galilee under Rome. This is the Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded (v. 9), and the one in Jerusalem at Jesus' trial, to whom Pilate sent Jesus." Jesus' ministry and fame is spreading, so that the official rulers now have become aware of Him and curious about Him. We know that after Jesus' execution, Pilate and Herod will become fast friends.

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. A note here reads: "The disciples are called apostles (meaning "those officially sent on a mission"), their proper title after Jesus' Resurrection." A quiet spot on a day of return - Jesus takes them aside privately, we assume, to hear the results of their first mission. Now they are officially "apostles" - those who have been sent - as my study bible notes. But the multitudes intervene. Luke continues to give us a picture of the full days of ministry, including Jesus' attempts to find private spots for the personal ministry that is also necessary.

When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty." And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. My study bible notes here: "All are satisfied when Jesus feeds them. No one need go away hungry. This feeding of he 5,000 is a messianic sign." This tremendous feast and great miracle is but the culmination of a busy day! The apostles have already gone out on their tremendous first mission, relying only on the strength of the ministry for provisions and survival - and have returned successfully. Not only does this multitude appear as Jesus seeks to have a private time with them upon their return, but Jesus takes the apostles even further in ministry. "Send them away," the apostles say, "so that they can find food and a place to rest." But in the middle of this deserted country, Jesus says, "You give them something to eat." Despite what they have already done, the apostles are challenged to something even greater. Jesus takes them further - an abundant and blessed ministry becomes the very feast of abundance in this miracle of the loaves and the fishes, even in this deserted place.

As has been pointed out in other readings concerning this miracle of feeding, it is clearly a picture of the Eucharist. Jesus blesses and breaks the bread, looking to heaven, and the disciples distribute. I find the words of St. John Chrysostom's liturgy at the giving of Communion very beautiful: "The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but not divided, forever eaten yet never consumed, and sanctifying those who partake." In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' garment and its powerful healing effect on the woman who touched it. Christ "sanctifies" and gives abundantly. As He has said, He is here to give us "life abundantly." There is no clearer picture of abundance for us than this episode, this picture of feeding. The apostles have returned with glorious news, they have done all they could, yet they are pushed to go further. With the power of God, there is yet more abundance. This is the picture that we are given today in this Gospel, that of a ministry of extraordinary - and miraculous - abundance. What blessings we have are but the start, there is more, there is always more, and beyond. God supersedes and surpasses our expectations, our understanding, and there is always more for us beyond what we know. Jesus promises us that He is here so that we may have life, abundantly. Whatever He has touched, and those whom He has sent, distribute that life. Count your blessings and be grateful, and be prepared to be surprised. There is always more to come, through Him. He takes what we have, wherever we are, and multiplies, through faith.