"...when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"
They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"
They answered him, "Seven."
He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
With our Catholic fascination for the Eucharist, we might be forgiven for thinking Jesus is grilling his disciples for misunderstanding the Eucharist. Whenever bread appears in the Bible we go a little gaga. And we can certainly infer from this incident its proximity to that most beautiful doctrine. But it's really about the providence of God.
The disciples have forgotten to bring bread with them as they boarded the boat and cast out for the deep of the Galilean Sea. Given that they've just seen the Lord multiply a few loaves of bread and several fish to feed four thousand people, and their bellies were full, we might forgive the oversight. But we're reminded of the ancient Hebrews who fled the slavery of Egypt only to face starvation in the desert. In Saint Mark's telling, the parallels are intentional.
In that ancient wilderness the LORD had consistently and insistently provided for them. When they complained -- as they often did -- he scolded their truculence and reminded them of how they'd never gone hungry or thirsty; their clothes had not deteriorated, nor their shoes disintegrated. And when they entered the Promised Land this Warrior God of the desert proved himself as the God of fertility, abundance, and security. The LORD provides!
"Do you still not understand?"
From ancient tradition, the Church offers a small piece of bread in the Mass. It's very small and looks nothing like a loaf. It's crisp texture doesn't remind one of a gooey slice of white bread, nor does it taste like anything. A child might wonder if it's actually bread. And, in any case, it's certainly no feast. But we insist this is the Bread of Angels and more than sufficient for our spiritual needs. Our Providential God provides for us!
Prosperous people live in dread of poverty. The more they have the more anxious they feel. Enough is never enough. And yet most of us grew up with considerably less. And, if the dietitians are right, we were healthier for it. Where many of today's young parents put off childbearing until they can afford all the expenses of children plus their familiar luxuries, and then carefully produce no more than two, my folks had ten children on one salary and no savings. And because we tithed, we flourished.
"Do you still not understand?"
The Lord calls us from the desert to "Come away to a deserted place," where resources are scarce. We follow him because, as Saint Paul said,
"My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.