Today we hear one of six versions of the story of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish that appear in the gospels. Six narrations of the event tells us a lot about its significance at that time and its importance as a way of showing how Christ is toward us in all kinds of hungers. This will be followed with four Sunday gospels readings from the sixth chapter of John’s gospel. It is called the Bread of Life discourse.
In John’s version of this scene (which we hear today), Jesus himself distributes the loaves and fish to the crowd. In the other gospels Jesus asks his disciples to distribute them. Both approaches demonstrate God’s compassion for those who hunger. This includes physical hunger as well as hunger for spiritual nourishment, meaning, hope, and the truth.
What hungers does the Lord satisfy in you? How does God want to use you to help satisfy the hunger of others?