Today we hear Saint Matthew’s account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and see how Jesus Christ satisfies the deepest hunger of those who seek Him.
The crowds had followed Jesus into the wilderness where He had taken pity on them and healed the sick. However, when evening fell He was aware that they needed to be fed. When the disciples protested that they had no food, He instructed them to feed the crowd themselves, and the five loaves and two fish were miraculously multiplied to feed the crowd of five thousand men, not counting the women and children.
This incident shows Christ’s compassionate concern for those in His care. And it also shows Him challenging His disciples to collaborate with Him in caring for those in need. Their first response was that they did not have anything with which to feed the people, but Jesus Christ shows us that even the little things that we often overlook can be transformed and put to a great use when they are offered to Him for the service of His Kingdom.
However, the multiplication of the loaves and fish is about more than simply satisfying people’s physical hunger, but is also about a spiritual reality. Jesus Christ is Himself the Living Bread who feeds us both with His Word and with His own Body and Blood. This Gospel therefore challenges us to reflect on what it is that we really hungry for, and what sort of food will truly satisfy our souls.