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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
Yesterday, we read that Jesus' apostles, going out on their first mission, cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." Others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets." But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded, he has been raised from the dead!" For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom." So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!" Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
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. My study bible points out here that the word "apostle" (which means "one who is sent," a messenger) is found frequently in the epistles but is rare in the gospels. It says, "It designates an official representative authorized to carry out a specific mission." We see the hustle and bustle of Jesus' ministry at this stage; the apostles don't even have time to eat. Another note tells us: "Jesus gives the disciples time to rest a while. They have just returned from a demanding assignment -- preaching, healing and casting out demons -- and it is time for solitude."
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. Again, there's an emphasis on the widespread popularity of this ministry: the multitudes spot where Jesus is headed and arrive before Him, even when He's supposedly seeking to get away to a private spot with His apostles who've just returned from their first mission. It's central that we examine the fact that Jesus is "moved with compassion." In the Greek, this word is σπλαγχνίζομαι/splagchnizomai. What we need to understand is that its root (splagchno) is the word for "spleen" -- but what this word means is that one is moved in "their guts" so to speak, in the inner organs of heart, liver, kidneys, lungs. It denotes, to my mind, the absolute reality of Incarnation, the power of compassion as something more than just an emotion or feeling or mental state. It involves the body, something that our own "flesh" is made for, exemplified in the Incarnate Jesus. His first act of compassion is to teach them.
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. There are several notes here I'd like to cite from. First of all, regarding the feeding itself, my study bible says that this is "both a messianic sign and an image of the Eucharist. Jesus' sustenance is never exhausted, just as His eucharistic body, multiplied and distributed, is 'ever eaten and never consumed, sanctifying those who partake'" (from the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church). We note again, the emphasis on the body, the "Incarnational" place this takes us to, its inseparability from the fact of Jesus' Incarnation. Also, my study bible notes that "the disciples learn a great lesson here: 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." Again, there is the emphasis on God as human, one of us, and on the fullness of needs that are filled: from the spiritual to the physical. As creations of the Creator, we are a whole, all is one, physical and spiritual work together. In the command Jesus cites as "first of all," we read that we are to love God "with all our heart and soul and strength and mind." What He feeds us with reflects all of that, returned. Finally, my study bible notes that there were also women and children present, but according to custom of the time, only the approximate number of men is given. Again, a reflection of the fullness of Jesus' humanity: nobody is left out -- none of us. There is no one left out, there is no "insignificant." Everyone is filled: with teaching and with physical food.
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. Again, the care of the body is important, the care of the whole self. Jesus still sends His disciples off alone, dismissing the multitude, while He Himself goes to the mountain to pray.
Today's reading in some sense emphasizes the fullness of the Incarnation, and its full relationship to us. Jesus' humanity becomes a connecting block here in far more ways than we can consider. He is "moved" in His inward parts when He sees our needs. He feeds the crowd spiritually, psychologically, mentally, and physically -- with food for heart and soul and mind and strength. He will not abandon us, He is with us in every possible way, as one of us. The Eucharist itself becomes an everlasting sign for us of this togetherness: His body, with us, making us also "of His body." We look at His compassion, in the midst of His busy ministry, His own tiredness and that of His apostles. And yet, "moved with compassion," the body is also involved in feeding, in every way, in teaching and in the distribution of the loaves and fishes. Our needs exist on many levels and He neglects none of them, despite the needs of those who minister. And there is more: there are not only men here, recorded in the custom of the time, but there are women and children who receive, all for all. So, we must think about this, that just as the Church has honored both His mother and the stages of His human infancy and childhood, so also are women and children present for the fullness of the Gift. The feeding of these five thousand is one event that is present in all four Gospels. It is absolutely central to the Gospel, the good news of the Kingdom that is among us. It can't be left out. And in its fullness, among all the other things that we can take away from today's reading and message, is the power and essence of the Incarnation, the needfulness of God who has become human -- our deep need for this and what it has brought to us. In every way, Jesus dignifies humanity. His great gift, among all the rest of the gifts we receive, is to teach us that we are created for something glorious, blessed, with all the goodness of God's creation a part of every aspect of ourselves, including our bodies. To my way of thinking, Jesus' Incarnation as human being teaches us that what our bodies are for is to be the recipient of His divine power, His grace, His courage and compassion, His wisdom, and His love. Our bodies also become an instrument of His service to all. Even in our weaknesses and frailties, we also fulfill the second of the two great commandments: to love neighbor as ourselves. If Jesus' human body is the seat of compassion, the place where compassion is at work, in the inner organs, then so our bodies can be the same. We are made to be "like Him." Let us not overlook the understanding that at the time of Christ, many religions -- certainly those of the regions of the world which had contact with the Mediterranean and all the vast environs linked by communication and trade at the time -- focused on an absolute difference between the physical and the spiritual. But Jesus comes into the world teaching that the problem is with separation: our lives are made to be in union with God. The Eucharist is a direct "proclamation," if you will, that we are made to participate with God, on every level, and the Incarnation teaches us how God's love extends to every facet of human life. Let us remember what His body and blood are for when we partake. Let us remind ourselves that love for God is in the fullness of heart and soul and mind and strength. He is here for every part of us. Let's not leave any part out. Finally, we note that Jesus is moved with compassion because the people are like sheep not having a shepherd. Let us understand this need in us for a Shepherd through all things, recognizing it fully, in every way. That would include direction for how we are to use and think about our bodies, our whole selves.
