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

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that about that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philips's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  

 

  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 Jesus heard it is a reference to the knowledge coming to Jesus that now Herod the tetrarch (Herod Antipas) has begun to fear Him:  Herod believes that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead, and this is the explanation for Jesus' power to heal and cast out demons.  (See yesterday's reading, above.)  Now it is the power of Rome that has taken notice of Him, a more serious and deadly power than even that of the Jewish religious authorities, and it is for this reason Jesus departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.   But although Jesus has withdrawn to a deserted place to avoid public scrutiny, He cannot be hidden.  The multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  And so, as often happens at significant turning points in Jesus' ministry, He is moved with compassion for these crowds.  "Moved with compassion," my study Bible notes, is used frequently concerning the Lord (Matthew 20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13).  It notes that this shows that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  

  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.  This miracle is reported by all four evangelists.  Here Christ feeds the great multitude of His people just as He fed the Israelites in the desert (see Exodus 16).  In patristic commentary, this is seen as an image of the Eucharist, an idea which is also made clear in John 6.  Also in patristic literature there is a spiritual interpretation given regarding the five loaves, stating that they indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which have been broken open in Christ and thereby feed the whole universe.  In this understanding, the two fish are said to represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  The gathering by the apostles of twelve baskets full of fragments that remained shows that the teachings which the faithful cannot grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  

 

Let us take a closer look here at the specificity of the language:  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, Christ blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  Besides teaching us that we should not eat without first giving thanks to God (the meaning of the word Eucharist is to give thanks), the terminology points to the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26).  My study Bible comments that just as the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds the Eucharist to His flock through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.  Perhaps for us this points to something greater to notice about Christ's "signs" or miracles, also called "mighty works" in St. Matthew's Gospel.  They all point to something greater than themselves.  And in this case of the Eucharistic significance of the actions and words used to describe what happens here, this miraculous breakthrough of yet another new revelation in Christ's ministry, another significant turning point, is something tied to that which will be left for us for us all time.  This is not simply a "one-time" incident, but in the Eucharist it will be repeated over and over again through time until the end of the age.  Thereby, we should read this miracle or sign as not only connecting Christ with the Lord of the Old Testament, who fed the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, but links us all in succession within the Church to come -- for all time and from that time forward.  In these connections we observe once again how time and distance are no obstacles to the effectiveness of Christ's miracles and His power.  For each of these things ties even us into them in the Eucharist.  We are fed as the ancient Israelites were fed; our Lord is the same Lord of the Old Testament and is also present to us in Jesus Christ, and in this feeding miracle in the wilderness.  If we view the events in the Bible as simply things that happened two millennia ago, and struggle to think of how that has something to do with us, then we are looking at things the wrong way.  We fail to grasp the bigger picture that is at work here.  In Christ these things stretch back and forth to the ancient and the new, and they are renewed even in us with each new Eucharist.  For none of the elements of Christ's life and ministry, nor the gift He gives of Himself in the Eucharist, is ever lost or gone missing.  They are always present because He is always present.  Let us eat and be filled, remembering even the twelve baskets of fragments left over for the Twelve who would go out to the world bearing His gospel.  For all is present to us still, each day.  It is the gift of His compassion for us all.  We take it in remembrance of Him, until His return.

 

 

 

 

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 

 

In yesterday's reading, we read about the apostles' first mission.  They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  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 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.  The story of the beheading of John the Baptist in yesterday's reading (see above) is given parenthetically, so to speak, so that we understand why King Herod Antipas now feels threatened by Jesus.  Here the apostles return from their successful first mission, in which they healed many and cast out demons.   Herod suspects that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead, and this explains the power manifest in Christ's ministry.  As my study Bible says, the King fears John the Baptist even when he is dead.  Christ's ministry and renown have now grown so much that there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So He seeks to retreat to a deserted place (once again using a boat) so that they may rest a while.  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 also must take rest.

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."  Here is another example of Christ's compassion, arising out of seemingly unforeseen circumstances.  So desperate are the people for what Christ offers, that they even ran there on foot from all the cities to follow Him. 

 

 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 feeding miracle is reported by all four Evangelists.  It shows Jesus feeding a great multitude, just as He, the Lord, fed the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16).  In the patristic perspective of the Church, this feeding is seen as an image of the Eucharist, an idea my study Bible says is made clear in John 6.  There is yet a second feeding in the wilderness (Mark 8:1-10), in which four thousand are fed with seven loaves and a few small fish.  Some suggest they are the same story, but their differences are distinct, and Christ Himself refers to each (Mark 8:14-21).  There is an additional spiritual interpretation given in my study Bible, in which it is taught that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and thereby feed the universe.  The two fish are the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  In the gathering of the leftovers, the apostles gather enough for a basket each.  It shows that the teachings which the faithful are not able to grasp nevertheless remain held in the consciousness of the Church.   The text tells us that 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.   It not only suggests the Eucharist in distribution by the disciples, but His prayer and blessing show us we, also, should give thanks to God before we each.  The terminology points to the Last supper (Mark 14:22) and so leads to a Eucharistic interpretation, my study Bible says.  As the disciples distribute the bread to the multitudes, so  Christ continues to feed the Eucharist to His flock today through His bishops and presbyters.

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.  Our reading began with Jesus seeking to take the disciples aside to a deserted place where they could rest, after their return from their first apostolic journey.  Here, it ends with Jesus Himself retreating to the mountain to pray in solitude, while He sends the disciples across the Sea, and the multitude away.  We have commented in recent readings about Christ and the mountain top moments that mark His ministry.  Here His withdrawal for prayer comes on the heels of yet another extremely significant turning point, and that is this feeding of the multitudes in the wilderness.  The Eucharistic significance is something that was commented on above, in citing notes from my study Bible.   So from that iconic framework itself we understand this is yet another important marker in Christ's ministry.  But let us note a factor in how that came about, and it is one which the Gospels report frequently.  Jesus is confronted with a great crowd of people who have followed Him on foot, although He retreated with the disciples by boat, seeking to get away to a deserted place.   Let us take a close look at Jesus' immediate response:  He is moved with compassion.  The text says that He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.   This turning point begins with this important hallmark of Christ's decision making:  He is moved with compassion.  And so, He first feeds this great crowd with what they need.  He began to teach them many things, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  Let's look at this almost visceral impression which Jesus receives upon seeing them, that they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  This seems to give us a sense of Jesus' immediate perception of human hearts and their needs, for it is this to which He responds, and He begins to feed them what they need as lost sheep who need a Shepherd.  He gives them teachings to guide their lives.  Whatever happens next, this great "landmark" event of the feeding of the five thousand men (and yet more women and children were present as well) is sparked through Christ's immediate perception of the need of these people who are like sheep without a shepherd.  And so, in the context of this great feeding in which we recognize the Eucharist to come, we should understand what Christ is doing.  He is moved with compassion to take on this new turn in His ministry, the beginning of the Eucharist, and Himself as the Shepherd whom we need.  For He feeds us not only with food, but with His teachings for us, even His Body and Blood which will be sacrificed and distributed so that He becomes a part of us, body, soul, and spirit.  For we always need this Shepherd, and we need Him in all ways.  We need Him to guide us throughout our lives in every facet, be it emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, communal, or any part of the deep needs of our souls, our minds, our hearts.  Our Shepherd changes the course of His own search for solitude because He is moved with compassion for us, for the state of us which perhaps only He perceives as the true Shepherd we need.  He shifts the course of His ministry yet again, and His retreat for solitary prayer with the Father is perhaps a hint to us of His own seeking with the Father the instructions for this new direction and development.  Let us note also that immediately, now that they have returned from their first mission as apostles, Jesus teaches the disciples to do likewise to His flock ("You give them something to eat").  Let us be grateful for His eternal care to us, His flock.