Mark 6:34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

Opening Prayer: Jesus, you know my needs before I ask. I am hungry and want fulfillment. Make yourself present as I spend some time reflecting on your words and actions, and please fill me with your grace.

Encountering Christ: 

1. Bring It to Christ: The Lord had been feeding the crowd with his Word for awhile (“it was already late”), and he knew that they needed food. But, he apparently waited for his disciples to bring their needs to his attention before he acted. When they brought the problem to Jesus, they also proposed a solution. Jesus must have smiled, knowing how surprised they were about to be by the miracle he planned to perform. When we bring our needs to Jesus, we delight him by our faith. He always answers these prayers. Sometimes he says “yes” and performs a miracle, sometimes he says “not yet,” and we wait patiently persevering in prayer, and sometimes the answer is, “I have something better in mind.”

2. How Many Loaves Do You Have?: Our Lord asked the disciples to feed thousands of people with the five loaves they had on hand. Impossible, right? He asks us impossible things too. “Keep your temper in traffic this morning. Break your habit of gossip with your coworker during lunch. Persevere in prayer and sacrifice for your adulting son even though there’s no sign of hope.” None of these good deeds feeds 5,000 people...or do they? We never see the full ramifications of our sacrifices, praise be to God! He asks us to live a holy life, with the help of his grace, and leave the miracles to him.

3. Help Me to Understand: Jesus never tires of explaining things to us. He says to his disciples later in the Gospel of Mark: “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. ”And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:17-21). No, Lord. We do not always understand your ways, and neither did the disciples. Since we have fewer than five loaves–not enough time, not enough talent, not enough wisdom to do any good in this fallen world–remind us that you multiply my limited resources to bring about the Kingdom of God for the good of those I love and the whole world.  

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you are Almighty! You show your awesome might by feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fish. You also show your power and might in my life when I find myself free of habitual sin, or witness a conversion I have been praying about, or when you bless an apostolic work you have asked me to do. Thank God you are Almighty!

Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will make a list of people for whom I feel called to intercede and pray for them.