The multiplication of the loaves

Today’s gospel narrative is about the multiplication of the loaves. This is a Bible story that almost all Christians know by heart as it is one of the greatest miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ. But before we go into this scripture story, let’s go into the first reading, which comes from Kings 4:42-44 and it is quite interesting to read as it is about the prophet Elisha.

42 A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing the man of God twenty barley loaves made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. 43 But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha insisted. “For thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” 44 And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the Lord had said.”

The first reading tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ wasn’t really that unique… after all; the prophet Elisha preceded his miracle of the loaves. But if you think deeply and ask… it is really Elisha who turned the twenty barley to feed a hundred men? Here lies the difference… Elisha was a mere prophet and thus God gave him that miracle… while our Lord Jesus Christ is God himself and created the miracle of the loaves. You can read it in John 6:1-15.

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“1 Jesus went across the sea of Galilee [of Tiberias]. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit].”

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9”There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” No there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.”

12 When they had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the give barely loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 13 Since Jesus knew that they were going to comes and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.”

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We can learn a lot of lessons from this great miracle story. One that it prefigures the Holy Communion… where our Lord “Took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining.” In the last supper, our Lord also broke the bread and gave it to his disciples.” On Easter Sunday on the road to Emmaus, he also broke the bread and gave the blessing. Two thousand years later… Catholic priests still break the bread, give thanks and distribute the Holy Eucharist to the faithful.

Another lesson we can learn from this story is that our Lord Jesus Christ is truly our shepherd. When he knew that there were five thousand people (not including women and children) who followed him across the Sea of Galilee, he already knew that they would have logistics problem and that he would solve the problem. So he was merely testing Philip, when he asked where they could buy enough food for the crowd to eat?

Perhaps this was God’s way of teaching his flock that thousands of years later… Catholics would continue the celebration of the Mass. Today, most Catholics no longer believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is truly present, body, blood soul and divinity in the Holy Eucharist. Many take communion because it is part of the liturgy and a Catholic ritual. I guess this is because when the priest raises the host… it still looks like a host and when we partake in Holy Communion, it still tastes like a host. Few people look at the Host in the eyes of faith. Blessed are those who do not see, but yet believe!

Indeed, only a very few Catholics believe in this Catholic doctrine. This is why I especially like to go to Mass at the St. John’s Priory in Banawa because during consecration when the priest raises the Sacred Host, everyone prostrates on the floor. I have always asked… if Muslims prostrate on the floor by merely facing Mecca… we Catholics should prostrate ourselves because the Lord Jesus Christ is being raised by the priest. Lastly, one lesson we can learn from this story is that… if we trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, he would take care of our spiritual and mortal needs

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