John 6:1-21
1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.

4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ 10 Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ 13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.

From Crumbs of Survival to Bread of Life

Reading the text with biblical insights in mind, we can imagine St. John inviting us to join Jesus for a full day picnicking on the north western side of the Sea of Galilee near the town of Bethsaida.

Before going down to the plain, coming from Upper Galilee or from the Decapolis (the region of the ten towns), we are fascinated by the beautiful surrounding view. We see green-covered hills as we are only a few days or weeks before Passover. There’s fresh, blue water and the famous old road between the Euphrates in Mesopotamia and the Nile in Egypt that’s known as the Way of the Sea, the Via Maris. These print an unforgettable portrait in your memory.

With biblical insight, the text introduces the faithful to pray Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd..." All the details that the Psalm includes are present in today’s reading of John 6:3-12.

Jesus cares for the crowd as a shepherd cares for his lambs. He prepares the disciples for a new event, teaching them how to rely on God's blessings that go way beyond their financial budget, and how to practice organized hospitality. They prepared, organized the crowd, and distributed in John 6:5-9, then "gathered the fragments, so that nothing should be lost," John 6:12-13.

Upon the order of the Teacher, "the crowd lacks nothing. They are sitting on the green pastures, beside quiet water along the right paths for His name's sake”—Psalm 23:1-3.

A boy from a modest family had five loaves of barley bread and two fish. When he was asked to give what he had for his entire day’s food, he gave it spontaneously.

The bread he had feeds the human body. Jesus knows this need and will respond generously. He took the bread, gave thanks and gave it to the disciples, who distributed it to the groups. Every body from the "Anthropos,” (men, women and children) ate to full satisfaction. They all ate the daily bread needed for survival. In total, the number was around five thousand. John doesn't exclude women and children as other Evangelists do according to the Jewish customs. Each loaf of bread that was blessed by the Lord fed about one thousand people. By the Lord‘s blessing, the few loaves offered by the boy had become a big amount, enough to feed five thousand of Jesus's guests. This is why the Church used to call this event "The multiplication of bread and fish.”

The crowd, stunned by the power of Jesus and after a good meal, saw in him the "Son of David" and decided to proclaim him their expected King. Jesus escaped the site and went to the mountain to pray to the Father.

He wanted them to see the sign beyond the miracle. For St. John, as for the other Evangelists, a miracle is a fact done in a place and a time for one person or more. While a sign is what the miracle aims at, to see God's power, love and mercy. He wanted them, as He wants us, to think and look for the bread of life that guarantees our eternal life. Jesus is very clear about that bread coming down from heaven and leading up to heaven. He is Himself that bread given to us in the Eucharist. Jesus wants us today to care for the crumbs of survival but much more for the Bread of Life.

Try to imagine this boy, who offered all he had, returning back home and running to tell his mother all that happened with the bread and fish she had prepared for him! More, we may feel how happy and grateful to the Lord this mother would have been.

Blessed are those parents who teach their children the value of sharing without expectations, just as the river waters the trees and the flowers without expecting any reward. Blessed are we, when we are aware of the fact that all we have is given by God to be shared with His love and blessings. Blessed are we when we know to give freely and are ready to share. May we read the text again, reflect, meditate, pray with and do accordingly!

Father Kamal, July 25, 2021