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Our Gospel this weekend is one of the best known of all the miracles that Jesus performed when he walked this earth. He multiplied five barley loaves and two fish into enough food for more than five thousand people. This miracle is the only one reported by all four of the Gospel writers.
What was the significance of Jesus feeding all these people? What does he want to teach us by his actions? In the Hebrew Scriptures we learn that the Israelites wandered the desert for forty years. They had no food. God turned to Moses to provide manna for the people. Despite his reluctance, Moses obeyed. Lo and behold, the people have more than enough manna to sustain themselves. Similarly, the followers in today’s Gospel are getting hungry and there’s no food readily available. Jesus, with the aid of his disciples, provides more than enough food for everyone. Jesus is showing his compassion for us when we turn to him. The feeding of the hungry was both an act of compassion and a demonstration of the presence of the kingdom of God.
Note in this Gospel the importance of sharing. Jesus provided food for the people after the boy with loaves and fish offered them. Do I see the food I eat as a gift from God to be shared? In what ways am I feeding other people?