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

 

 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 now King Herod heard of Jesus, 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.  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.  The apostles have just returned from their first missionary journey, so they have much to talk about with Christ regarding what they had done and what they had taught.  My study Bible comments that Christ gives rest to His disciples to show those engaged in preaching and teaching that they must not labor continuously, but must also take rest.  But even in a deserted place which they went to by boat, they cannot escape the crowds who anticipate where they are going and run before them.  Again, we see a display of Jesus' compassion, with the distinctive phrase that calls to Christ, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  My study bible makes note that the Gospels frequently use the phrase moved with compassion of Jesus (Matthew 14:14, 20:34; Mark 1:41, Luke 7:13), which shows that His power and authority are extended to those who suffer. 

 

 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.  This miracle, the feeding of five thousand men (and more women and children), is reported by all four evangelists.  It depicts our Lord feeding a great multitude of His people just as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  Jesus teaches that we should never eat without first giving thanks to God.  My study Bible comments that the terminology here points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26), and therefore leads to a eucharistic interpretation of this miracle.  This is made clear in John 6.  As the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds us the Eucharist through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.  There is also a spiritual interpretation found in patristic literature, which teaches that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are "broken open" in Christ, and thus feed the universe.  The two fish represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  Additionally, the gathering of the leftovers by the apostles (twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish) shows that the teachings which the faithful are unable to grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

 

 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, we see Jesus withdrawing as He intended to before the multitude followed.  But this time, He departed to the mountain to pray.  It is a reminder that we often need to withdraw to pray, but we also may consider this important "landmark" in His ministry of the feeding in the wilderness, and that it begins a phrase in His public life.  To depart to the mountain indicates a communion with God the Father, a place where important spiritual experience takes place.

With what do you feed yourself?  With what does Christ feed you?  Certainly we can read in today's reading the commentary regarding the Eucharist, and how this central feeding miracle foreshadows the Eucharist and Christ's words at the Last Supper.  But when God chooses to give us something, there is no stinting at this effort, no piecemeal sort of giving.  Christ gives us Himself.  He gave Himself in the Incarnation, He gave Himself at the Cross, He gives Himself in the Eucharist.  But there is so much more to read into today's Gospel reading.  Jesus responds to our suffering.  He responds with compassion to the needs of humanity that call to His lordship for us.  He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  And that was what they needed, a shepherd, so He became the Shepherd and taught them many things.  Finally, they continue with Him the full day and have nothing to eat -- and this becomes the opportunity for the miracle and for teaching the disciples how to act with what is at hand.  It is a great lesson in hospitality, which is at its true heart and purest form an exercise in compassion.  This theme runs throughout the Scriptures, and was embodied in the lives of the desert monks.  So how can we incorporate into our lives the lessons Jesus teaches?  We must remember that at all times, an abundance in life is created when we have Christ with us.  He fills us with good things (Luke 1:53), especially those particular things for which we are truly hungry and need.  He teaches us to take the initiative, to start with what is at hand, to understand that when we begin with prayer we are halfway there to fulfillment of what's necessary.  And He shares His great gift of compassion and hospitality with us, as He distributes through the disciples, teaching them the image of His Church.  Jesus has said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).  Well, where even two or three are gathered there is room for hospitality and graciousness, and there is room for the richness we have in Christ and in our faith and the Church as a whole and all the gifts stored therein for the world, and the saints and angels that are a part of it.  We make room for Christ, as He has made room for us, even a banquet in the wilderness.  The richness of such a gift, one feels, is one we have only started to understand, for we enter into His abundance, not just our own.  Let us do as He does always, and remember our prayer, for that is where every good and perfect gift begins, for "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).  Wherever we are, when we are with Him, we have what He offers, the things with which He feeds us.  He is our Shepherd for those of us who need Him, our Teacher who teaches us what we need, and who multiplies His abundance for us.  Sometimes it is all so hard to see, but in prayer we'll find we are offered what we truly need.