Painting by Melani Pyke (https://www.melpyke.com)
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves and he gave them to his disciples to set before the people." Mark 6:41
Jesus was totally obedient to the divine will. This is why the Church refers to Jesus as the new Adam and his mother, Mary, as the new Eve. Where Adam and Eve refused the divine will, Mary and Jesus embraced it. Where Eve grasped at the forbidden fruit, Mary simply received it out of her own desire to do the divine will. God worked through Israel to bring about a restoration of all of creation; to bring all of humanity out of the slavery of sin into a new and glorious eternal garden. The message of Jesus is for the whole world.
Today, in Mark’s Gospel we read one of two accounts of Jesus feeding the many with loaves and fish. The second account in Mark is just two chapters later, 8:1-9. There are important different in the two accounts that, I think, remind us of the universal nature of Christ. Let’s have a brief but closer look at some of the differences.
In the first account from Mark 6:30-44, the story takes place inside Jewish territory in a deserted place. Although Jesus took his disciples away for a well-deserved rest, out of an abundance of Jesus’ compassion, he tended to the crowd that was awaiting their arrival. Through the well-known miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus fed five thousand from five loaves of bread and two fish with twelve baskets being leftover. These are significant numbers for Jews: Five represents the five Sacred books of Moses, the Jewish Pentateuch and twelve, of course, represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The two could be the Jews and the Gentiles.
In the second account from Mark 8:1-9 takes place in Gentile territory and Jesus has seven loaves of bread, a number commonly used for fulfillment of creation – the seven days – and four thousand people, not five thousand, representative of the four cardinal points that represent all direction on earth.
As such, what started as particular to the people of Israel is expanded to include all people in all parts of the world.
In both accounts he blesses, he breaks and he gives to his disciples to distribute to all who are gathered. Like the entirely of Jesus’ ministry, he points to the great Banquet, the great Feast, the great Sacrifice of the Altar and our Eucharistic response; our great response of Thanksgiving at all God has provided for us and for the whole world.
God is Compassionate. God will provide. God always provides.
Can you take some time to reflect on how God has provided for you?
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