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“Then He said to them, ‘You give them something to eat’. And they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish…..for all these people'”  Luke 9:13

“So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.”  Luke 9:17

“Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father in Heaven”  John 14:12

I want to take a moment to dwell on the “feeding of the five thousand” and a way we can join in.  As you recall this all starts out with wanting to get away to rest.  Jesus had sent the disciples out to preach, teach and heal in the surrounding Jewish towns and villages that Jesus was himself not going to be able to visit.  The disciples come back with stories of healing and wonderment.  Jesus leads them away to “a deserted place” so that they could rest.  However, scripture tells us that the multitude knew of it and followed Jesus and the disciples there.  Jesus, never being one to turn people away, received them there and spoke of the Kingdom of God and healed their sick.

This was a great throng, some 5,000 men, even more when you count the families who accompanied them.  Scripture goes on to say that the hour was getting late and the disciples came to Jesus because they were concerned that they were far away from any town or place and the people had been with Jesus all day.  They were worried that the people would be hungry and in fact so hungry that some would faint from hunger as they tried to return to their homes.  It would take a miracle for them to be fed out in this wilderness!

What I so love about what Jesus did is how He include the disciples in His actions.  Remember the manna that the Israelites ate when they were out deep in the wilderness and how God had caused a great wind to also blow in quail to provide for the weary travelers.  Jesus, as God, surely had this power.  Purely by His own power and devices He could have fed the 5,000 gathered listeners.  Yet in His Mercy and Perfect Wisdom, He included more than just Himself.  For this was not about some over-the-top, grandiose display of raw Divine power.

First, Jesus acknowledges that the assembled people will need to eat and then suggests to the disciples, it is up to them to feed the enormous crowd.  This disturbed the disciples, for the disciples had barely enough rations, five loaves of bread and two small fish, to spread amongst themselves let alone to try to stretch across such a vast need.  Also they did not have enough money to go and buy provisions for this great gathering.  Thus what Jesus establishes is that there is no human devised solution to feeding this throng accept to send them away and leave them to their own devices.

At this point truly try to put yourself into the shoes….or, ah sandals, of the disciples.  First Jesus tells you to tell the people to have a seat in small groups.  He is the Master and you do as you’re instructed but you have not the vaguest clue as to what Jesus has planned.  Next, Jesus asks for the five loaves and two fish to be brought to Him and He gives thanks to His and your Heavenly Father for them.  Again, you’re not surprised that He gives thanksgiving for food, no matter how meager because that is what Jesus always does.

However, now it starts to get worrisome.  There are 12 baskets there, that means one basket for each disciple (even Judas). Then, to your surprise, Jesus starts tearing pieces of the bread and putting it into each basked and breaking the two fish apart and placing just a small piece in each basket.

Your curiosity as a disciple turns to shock and some dread as Jesus hands you each a basket and tells you to go to the crowd and give the basket to each group and do not take the basket away from the group until they have eaten their fill and are satisfied.  Again, think about your hesitant steps as you approach the first small group.  Maybe there’s enough in the basket for this one group to each have something, but eat their fill? Until their satisfied?  You pick out the smallest group with the fewest men and smallest children; they won’t take too much you tell yourself.  You hand the basket to the first person and invite them to take and eat but stress that the basket needs to be passed to everyone hoping that you communicate the message not to be too greedy and grab too much out for yourself.  Perhaps you anxiously watch as each person takes from the basket, puts the lid back on as they pass to the person next to them and you’re somewhat surprised how far the food has gone in this group.  Perhaps also you’re glancing around noticing that, of all your brethren disciples, none of them have run out of food….YET.

However, now the last person has pulled food out, put the lid back on the basket and handed back to you.  You don’t dare look inside to see the sheer emptiness that must reside now in the basket.  You glance back over at the Master, Jesus, somewhat shocked to see He is staring right at you and with a nod of His head and an ever so slight smile, He directs you to continue to the next group.  You slowly approach the group, you have a lump in your throat as you ask yourself: “Are they going to be mad about how empty the basket is?  Are they going to attack me or the Master?”  You look around and notice that your brethren are all getting to their second groups and they all seem to have the same hesitation.  “This could get real ugly real quick”; you think to yourself.

You start about by excusing yourself and begging the forgiveness of the group and hoping they can scrape a little of what must be some scraps of bread and slivers of fish at bottom of the basket.  As you hand it to the first man in the group, before the man has taken the lid off, he gives you a slightly aggravated look concerning the apology you just gave.  The man lifts the lid and then his look of aggravation changes to surprise and bewilderment as he turns the basket so that you can see that it is filled to the brim with choice bread and many pieces of succulent fish.  The man is surprised by the expression of pure shock on your face at seeing the contents of the basket.  You immediately look up to see and are met with very similar looks of astonishment of the faces of your fellow disciples as they watch their second groups feast on the basket.  You then slowly turn to face Him; the Master, Jesus Christ.  No longer is there a slight grin on His face, but now it is a full blown smile!  He holds out his hands gesturing for you to continue and at that moment you understand, not the how of any of it, but you know the food will not run out.

You are now excited to move from one group to another, you are laughing, the groups laughing.  All are being fed.  The groups are thanking you for your generosity.  Although you accept their thanks, you are compelled and it easy to respond to them that they need to give thanks to their Father in Heaven for His Son who is in their midst Jesus.

Can you imagine it?  Can you place yourself in the before and after of being a part of it?  Now let me remind you, these were not highly educated men, these disciples.  They were not the crème of Jewish crop.  They were ordinary, very common men, called to be extraordinary by and through Jesus Christ.

However, that was so long ago.  The disciples are long gone and the age of miracles has passed.  Really?  You see dear Sisters and Brothers, this would all be just history, if it weren’t for the fact that Jesus Christ lives today.  The same Jesus Christ who urged His disciples:  “You give them something to eat”, sees a hungry world today and urges the same thing for us.  This is a world, yes hungry for food; but also hungry for light, truth, mercy and most of all LOVE.  Jesus Christ proclaims to us that should we but believe in Him, have true faith in Him, then we can do His works and even greater because He now is with The Father.  Please, please let us not turn from the invitation to be part of the feeding.  Let us not shy away from doing His bidding.  For Jesus Christ has the power to do it on His own, the wonderful, merciful blessing is that He wants to include us in the helping.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we praise and thank you for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ and Your Plan that, through Him we might not only have our salvation but also be a part in bringing Your will to fruition in this life.  Pour out Your Spirit on us that we might have the confidence, faith and love to go forth and be providers through Jesus Christ to meet the needs and spread the word of salvation to the world in such desperate need of both.  That in being allowed to partner in the completion of Your Most Perfect Plan, we would lead lives that always bring glory and praise to Your Most Holy Name.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen