The Gospel according to 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.
Reflection:
Today, we seem to be dropped in the middle of Jesus’ earthly ministry. This portion of Mark chapter 6 immediately follows the execution by beheading of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. Understandably, Jesus was looking for a break both for Himself and His disciples, but his renown by this time made that impossible. Instead, the people met Him when he got off the boat, and He teaches them and then performs one of his most “showy” miracles – the “feeding of the five thousand”.
I wasn’t able to find anything specific about how it is we have this particular section of Mark’s Gospel during this last week of the Christmas Season. One thing I will say is that it reminds us of the amazing generosity of God. In today’s passage, Jesus feeds the minds of those who followed Him to this deserted place, and then, He feeds them in the physical sense with bread and fish, starting from just five small barley loaves and two fish to enough not only to feed them, but to have baskets of fragments left over. Maybe that’s the reason we have this part of Mark’s Gospel this week – to help us be reminded that the abundance of the gifts we celebrate during the Christmas season are with us throughout the year and we should not neglect to seek God for what we need at any time.
If you’re like me, maybe you think what you need is not that important for God to bother with it. After all, doesn’t He have more important things – more important people – to tend to? The answer is this – YOU are the one who is important to God. In His omnipotence, He can pay just as much attention to your needs as to anyone else’s – each of us is at the center of His purpose each day. It boggles the mind, but it is true! So, don’t let that excuse I mentioned stop you from seeking God for whatever you need. His response will be one of abundance and love – maybe not in the exact way you expected it, but it will always be what you need.
As we go through these last days of the Christmas season, take heart in that fact! Know that God has His watchful eye on you, not to catch you doing wrong, but to be with you through all the trials and struggles of life!
Action for the Day:
Take these last days of the Christmas season and ask God today to remind you of His presence in your life, and know that you can call on Him in your need any time – no qualification needed. Just your trust and promise to try to follow Him as closely as you can, and that you share the Good News with your actions, today and every day.
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