However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth

 

 "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.  They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service.  And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.  But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.  And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.  But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  

 

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine.  Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."

 

- John 16:1-15 

 

 In our current readings, Jesus is giving what is called the Farewell Discourse to the apostles.  The setting is the Last Supper, before Jesus goes to His arrest leading to the Cross, His death, and then to Resurrection.  This readings and commentary on this Discourse began on Monday.  Yesterday we read that Jesus taught the apostles, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another.  If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.'  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'  But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds  from the Father, He will testify of Me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."

 

  "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.  They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service.  And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.  But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.  And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.  But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart."  My study Bible defines the use of sorrow here to mean "extreme grief leading to despondency or despair," which it names a sinful passion.  St. John Chrysostom is quoted:  "Great is the tyranny of despondency."  This sin, moreover, is constantly referred to in the writings of the Desert Fathers.  When the world persecutes the believer or when God seems to be absent, my study Bible notes, Christians are called to fight against this despondency, taking comfort from the presence of the Holy Spirit.  

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."  Of course, the Helper is the Holy Spirit.  The word translated as "Helper" from the Greek was used in ancient times for a legal aid, a lawyer; it was extended to mean also "Comforter," "Counselor," and "Advocate."  It literally indicates one who comes (by one's side) when called.  My study Bible comments on this passage that through the illumination brought by the Holy Spirit, the world will be convicted; that is, proven wrong.  It will be convicted concerning first, its sin, the ultimate of which is the denial of Christ.  Second, righteousness, which it failed to accept from Christ with faith and thanksgiving; and finally judgment, for those who reject Christ will receive the same penalty that Satan, the ruler of this world, has already received (see Matthew 25:41).  

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine.  Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."  My study Bible tells us that because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and because this Spirit abides in the Church, the Church is the guardian of all truth.  

It seems important to remember, when considering Christ's words about judgment, that the Holy Spirit (the Helper, the Spirit of truth) is at work in our world all the time.  When Christ speaks about the Spirit doing the work of judgment and conviction, we should remember that, first of all, Christ is the Knower of all hearts (that is, He knows the depths of our hearts we might not even know), and second, the Holy Spirit will give help and opportunity to all regarding response to the spiritual truth it offers, in ways that none of us can know about anyone else.  This extends to ourselves as well, in terms of our own awareness of just what we are being presented with in our choices all the time.  So when we read Christ's words (and my study Bible's understanding) we can be certain that God presents us with opportunities all the time in terms of our response to this truth, to the work of the Holy Spirit in us and around us, which is always ongoing.  God's judgment is not like our judgment, and only God knows the true depths of who we are to make that judgment, so this is effectually, a great mystery to us all on our human, worldly level, and is something belonging only to God in terms of prerogative.  We cannot be the Judge, but what we can do is accept Christ's words and His commands, especially the commands to love one another which have gained so much importance in this final Farewell Discourse to Christ's apostles.  We can rely on and trust in the Spirit of truth to be present to us and with us at all times, an Advocate, a Helper, a Counselor, One who offers us the closeness of one closer to our hearts than we know, and who always has our best interest in mind.  Jesus also speaks at the same time of persecutions that are coming; emphatically, He tells them even in this vivid language that "the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service."  This is a picture of the spirit of the Antichrist at work in the world, so that we understand this complex life in which we live, and the great and courageous mission into which the apostles were about to engage.  These conditions remain with us, and come in new and myriad forms, but our basic struggle is the same.  We trust in Christ (this is what it means to have faith), we follow His commands, and above all, we are to do so as our love for Him.  As Christ has said, He receives love from the Father, and shares that love with the disciples, and with us.  This love, as He has said repeatedly in this Discourse, is that with which He abides in us, and we abide in Him, so that our joy and peace may be a part of us all the time, no matter what is presented to us in the world, if we remain His disciples.  Let us rely upon this Spirit of truth, our Comforter and our Helper, to find our way through, even in a world that is hostile.  The Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth will bring to remembrance all the things Christ has taught, taking of what is Christ's to declare to us from the Father, giving us the capacity to witness to Him in the world.   

 

 

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.

 

Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch

 

 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 

- Luke 5:1–11 

 

Yesterday we read that, after preaching there, Jesus arose from the synagogue in Capernaum and entered Simon's house.  But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her.  So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.  And immediately she arose and served them.  When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.  And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.  Now when it was day, He departed and went to a deserted place.  And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."  And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

 

 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  My study Bible explains that the Lake of Gennesaret is also known as the Sea of Galilee.  It is about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide.  

 

 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  My study Bible explains that sitting was the traditional position for a teacher.  Some early Christian preachers, such as St. John Chrysostom, sat while the people stood.  In Matthew 5:1, Jesus is described as "seated" just before He begins to preach the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples.  

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  My study Bible tells us that St. Ambrose sees a spiritual meaning in the command to launch out into the deep, as an invitation to give one's life over to the deep mystery of the knowledge of the Son of God.  

 

 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  My study Bible comments here that the Lord draws people to Himself by things which are familiar to them.  As He drew the Magi with a star (Matthew 2:2), as He would draw tax collectors by a tax collector (Luke 5:29), here Christ draws the fishermen with fish (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23).  

 

 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  My study Bible says that Peter's cry in the face of divine power is not a rejection of Jesus (contrast this to Luke 8:37).  Rather, he suddenly sees himself in the light of Christ.  My study Bible explains that holy people such as Peter become keenly aware of their own unworthiness (compare Isaiah 6:5; Revelation 1:17). 

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.  My study Bible explains that the great catch of fish is an image of the apostles, who bring mankind to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and it fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah 16:16.  In the Eastern Orthodox festal hymn of Pentecost, it is sung, "Through the fishermen, You drew the world into Your net."

 

There are a few interesting elements in today's reading which we might call poetic.  It is something of the poetry of Scripture, or perhaps we might simply say the poetry of God.  First of all, the text says that they are at the Lake of Gennesaret, where Simon Peter has his boat, and is fishing along with James and John Zebedee.  The etymology of the word Gennesaret is disputed and unclear. But many suggest that the basis for the name is a word for "garden."  Some say it means possibly, "garden of the Prince," or suggestive of Paradise (long associated with a beautiful garden).  The Lake of Gennesaret (also known as the Sea of Galilee) overlooks a very fertile plain called the plain of Gennesaret.  This area was known for its abundance:  abundant fertility and variety of crops, good soil and conditions for growth, as well as the abundance of fish the lake provided here.  So, all of this combines with the poetic imagery of the disciples whom Jesus says will become fishers of men.  They will go out to bring an abundant harvest, an abundant catch, symbolized in the great catch of fish in their nets, and they bear the kingdom of heaven with them, the "Paradise" suggested in the name and the abundant beauty and fertility of this region, evidently great conditions for the sustaining of human life.  Think of the impossibly great multiples of faithful created through this beginning of Christ's ministry and this handful of early disciples.   Finally we come to the end of our reading, in which we're told that these early disciples brought their boats to land, and then forsook all and followed Him.  We know they were already disciples before this point (in yesterday's reading, we read how Jesus came to Peter's house, and healed his mother-in-law of a fever).  But now they are called by Christ to a new life, a new métier, a new way of life and work to do, so they forsake all and follow Him.  When we think of that net full of fish to the point of breaking, the boats full to the point of sinking, we can think of this fertile plain, and the surprising variety of crops that grew together, usually requiring varying conditions, because that is what the future Church would look like.  That abundance of the fish is the abundance of the countless number of people since who have come to know Christ because of the apostles.  These men, too, will give it their "all," for they have been called, and they will respond, nearly all of them holding nothing back, including even the sacrifice of their lives.  Jesus told them to "launch out into the deep," and so they have -- deepening their faith, moving toward the deeper mysteries of God, and expanding their commitment more deeply into their hearts and lives.

 

 

 

And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray

Multiplication of five loaves and two fish.  Miniature from the gospel of Tsar John Alexander of Bulgaria, 1356

 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 the twelve apostles, on their first mission, 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 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.  The narrative of the Gospel picks up where the beginning of yesterday's reading left off, with the culmination of the first mission of the twelve apostles.

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 remarks that Jesus gives rest to His disciples to show those who are engaged in preaching and teaching that they must not labor continuously, but must also take rest.  In a sense, it reflects upon this time of Lent, in which we turn away from frenetic activity, to consider the value of a time of inward disposition for prayer, rest, contemplation, reflection.

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.   At this stage in Jesus' ministry, and after the apostles have come back successfully from their first mission, the Gospel is careful to let us know of Jesus' great fame in the region, and the multitudes who seek Him so vociferously that they anticipate even His move to a "deserted place" and arrive there before Him.  Once again we're told that Jesus is moved with compassion, and we understand this union of full humanity with full divinity.  In the Greek, the expression denotes an inward feeling of the interior body, not simply an impression in the mind.  My study bible notes that this expression occurs many times in the Gospels concerning Jesus (1:41, Matthew 20:34, Luke 7:13), and it shows that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.  Let us observe that He first feeds these sheep not having a shepherd by teaching them many things.  For Him to teach is to respond to their immediate need.

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.   Let us note first of all that, although unplanned, Jesus responds as needs arise.  More importantly, His responses become hallmarks of God's work in the world, and of His ministry and its meanings and spiritual impact.  This feeding miracle is reported in all four Gospels.  It first of all reflects God's work of feeding the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16).  But Jesus' action takes that episode, understood from Israel's spiritual past, and magnifies it into something new.  That new thing is a reflection of the Eucharist (this is implied most strongly in John 6, the last of the Gospels to be written, and so reflecting the understanding of the growing Church at that time).  Christ's blessing and division of the loaves, and distribution via the disciples, is clearly indicative of the Eucharist, and teaches us about giving thanks to God for all things.  One traditional spiritual interpretation of this feeding miracle teaches that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law, or Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and thereby feed the universe.  The two fish, my study bible says, represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  In the gathering of the leftovers into twelve baskets by the apostles (one for each), we see that the teachings which the faithful are at present unable to grasp are nevertheless held in the consciousness of the Church for those who will understand, and sent out into all the world through them.  This feeding miracle, with its multiplication on behalf of a hungry multitude, is a clear sign of the divinity of Christ.

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.  Christ returns to His purpose and mission; the disciples are sent toward familiar territory in Bethsaida, while He goes to the mountain to pray.  It is also noteworthy that at this juncture, when something new and "explosive" (especially in the multiplication of the loaves and fish) occurs, He retreats for prayer and reorientation in communion with God the Father.  So we should do likewise.

I'm most intrigued today by Jesus' retreat to the mountain to pray, after such a ground-breaking kind of miracle or sign as the feeding of the multitude in the wilderness.  In this feeding is not only a clear opening toward an understanding and eventual full manifestation of the Eucharist, but it is also a sign of God's profoundly explosive work in the world, which suddenly shakes our understanding and interpretation of everything that has come before.  These facts of this manifestation of a sign of God through Christ's ministry contribute to the way in which we look at His immediate withdrawal to the mountain for prayer.  Not only does this sudden, unexpected manifestation of power testify to His divinity and God's presence, it will surely give rise to yet more and deeper zeal of the crowds to follow Him, to make Him even more renown, to spread word regarding what kind of figure such miracles portend.  In short, at this stage it is also inevitable that He is moving toward confrontation with the religious authorities over His growing following and reputation.  He has suddenly become, much more profoundly, a messianic figure.  In light of this, Jesus' withdrawal to the mountaintop tells us some more about Christ, His purpose, and His mission.  There is a great emphasis on constant communion with the Father.  Rather than capitalizing on His fame (in John's Gospel, we're told that the people wished to forcefully make Him king - see John 6:15), Jesus withdraws for a deeper communion in prayer.  His first impulse is to retreat for realignment and direction, a deeper communion in which He may receive and understand the appropriate direction for His ministry.  Let us note that in this withdrawal there is an affirmative character placed upon how we should approach our lives as well when any good thing befalls us.  We not only should give thanks, as does Jesus for the loaves and fishes, but also reorient ourselves for God's direction in our lives.  Our good fortune, such as it is, and no matter what it is, should also be placed into the hands of God not only for good direction in how it is used, but also for a strong faith in how we carry ourselves into the world in the next stories in our own lives.  As we are perceived by others having a certain profile with each new unfolding or event in our lives, so we turn to Christ to find how we are to conduct ourselves most profitably also for our spiritual selves and for the spiritual lives of those around ourselves.  And that is a profound teaching indeed, especially at this time of Lenten prayer and retreat.  Let us give thanks for what we have, let us place all at the hands of God for service and spiritual health and growth.  At this time, during the world outbreak of the coronavirus, there is so much emphasis placed on our physical health.  Let us not forget, in this time of retreat, how we can so profitably use the time for spiritual growth and health as well.

"Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"

 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.  Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon.  And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"  And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.  Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is!  For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."  And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

- Luke 4:31-37

Yesterday we read that after His temptation in the wilderness,  Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.  And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.  So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which  proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"  He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself!  Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country."  Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."  So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.   My study bible cites St. Ambrose of Milan, who comments that Christ begins preaching and healing on the Sabbaths to show that "the new creation began where the old creation ceased."

And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.  Jesus does not speak like the prophets of old, nor like the teachers of His own day, who taught in the third person ("The Lord says").  But Christ teaches in the first person ("I say to you").  See also Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount.

Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon.  And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"   Everything that has occurred so far in this early ministry of Christ has been done through the work of the Holy Spirit, as our readings have attested (3:22; 4:1, 14).  But here, the spiritual world "breaks out" into the open, and it is clear there is a kind of battle going on, a war for a kingdom within a spiritual setting, in which we also dwell.   But Christ wishes to keep His messianic identity a secret ("Be quiet . . .!").  Isaiah foresaw His refusal to fully disclose His identity as Messiah (Isaiah 42:1-4).  My study bible says the reasons for secrecy include:  (1) the growing hostility of the Jewish leaders; (2) the people's misunderstanding of the Messiah as an earthly, political leader; and (3) Christ's desire to evoke genuine faith, which is not based solely on marvelous signs. 

And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.  Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is!  For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."  And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.  One revelation of Christ's identity occurs through His interact with unclean spirits; He commands them with authority and power. 

Jesus' identity breaks through His own self-imposed silence.  There is a spiritual battle going on, a kind of war for the world.  Human beings are in distress.  In the action of the demons, there is all the symbolism and signs of an invading army:  occupation, brutality, violence, oppression, hostility, imprisonment, hostage-taking.  The unclean spirits impose harsh sentences and penalties upon those who are their victims.  There are many different "evidences" of demons presented in the Gospels:  a boy who's thrown into a fire, a man occupied by a "legion" of demons that destroys his life and his ability to live among people, and here, a man thrown down in the middle of the synagogue.  In all ways, the action of the demons parallels that of an occupying, hostile enemy force.  But in comes Jesus who comes to speak in the synagogue, and it prompts panic from this enemy force, who, unlike the human beings who deny Christ (as in His hometown of Nazareth, in yesterday's reading, above), know precisely who He is:  "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"   The demons fear His power and they cannot resist His commands.  They wonder what He is doing here in our world -- if He's come to destroy them.  It's as if the world is a kind of wilderness where they may roam free, but all of a sudden the One who has the true power and authority to assert order and peace has come into the world.  Has He come to destroy them?  Not quite yet.  Our Savior has come to redeem us, to liberate us.  We needn't be hostages to this force which alienates us from God.  But we are meant to cooperate in our own liberation.  Our Redeemer does no healing and saving apart from our own cooperation and assent to this work.  We are part and parcel of His ministry, and He has come for us, not for the unclean forces that seek to draw us apart from God's love.  Love comes first of all to claim its own, the ones capable of loving in return, and who desire life with Christ -- and to follow where He will lead.  With Christ's word, His entry into our world, just as He enters into the synagogue, He offers us a choice, a freedom, a liberation that asks us to follow Him and make a choice for ourselves.  We are His own creatures, capable of using intelligence and will, and love will not compel us to follow nor love back.  This is a force of love, not manipulation.  We await a final judgment and reconciliation, but in the meantime His life is here, His forces are here, and He offers us this choice to realize who we are in relation to Him.  And this is our healing.  The signs are all there, but who is capable to read them and to know Him and follow?