The miraculous feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-15) is not just a testament to Jesus’ compassion but a profound revelation of his identity as the Messiah and the divine mystery of the Eucharist. In this miraculous event, we see more than just a miracle of provision; we witness the transformative power of Christ’s mission and the sacramental life he offers, inspiring us to delve deeper into our faith.
In John 6:1-15, we read about how Jesus took a little boy’s lunch, a seemingly insignificant offering, and made it enough to feed thousands of people. The Lord’s actions leading up to the miracle captivate attention. They lay the foundation for a deeper understanding and appreciation of this miraculous event and Jesus as Lord.
The Need
First, Jesus sees the crowd. He perceives their physical presence and deeper hunger for God and wholeness. Like his Father’s, his eyes penetrate every fabric of human existence, and all there is. The Psalmist captures the depth of this insight when it says that God sees us through and through even before we are intricately molded in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-19).
Jesus contemplates what to do for the crowd upon recognizing their needs. It is inherent in Christ’s very nature to seek and find us. The incarnation is God revealing himself to us in human nature through which we can discover ourselves. Fullness of life is in him. Jesus expresses in various ways, “I seek the lost.” The three parables of forgiveness in Luke 15 share the same motif of God thirsting for the souls in need.
The Lord, in his deep empathy and care, notices the people’s need for food. Right there, Jesus leaves us a hint to the secret of the miraculous. Miracles unfold when we, like Jesus, see and respond to the needs of others.
When we are genuinely concerned about the well-being of others, God opens doors for providence. The miraculous becomes possible when we focus on what we can do for others, rather than what they can do only for ourselves. The life of miracles is a life lived for others.
Seeking to Provide
Next, the Lord sets out to do something about the need he identifies. He asks a rhetorical question: “Where shall we buy enough food for them to eat?” (Jn 6:5). Scripture reveals that Jesus already knows what to do. He inspires his disciples to join in what he wants to accomplish. For the mission of Christ is to draw many to the Father, saving grace. The very nature of his mission is lavish love that invites and makes people whole.
As the ultimate leader, the Lord invites everyone to join in his mission of being a gift, not just for oneself, but for others. Ultimately, it is a call to a self-emptying in worship to God. While many may still need to respond in kind, the invitation is open to all.
Herein lies fulfillment. A fulfilled life is one in which a person pours their life in praise of God and in the service of others, and this invitation is extended to each and every one of us.
The Eucharist is Christ’s Self-Emptying
The Eucharist is life–Christ’s life poured out to be consumed by many so they will have the fullness of life. It is the Divine Person’s self-emptying that gives life to many. This self-emptying is a profound act of sacrificial love. I see Christ’s self-emptying in two ways, each leading us to penetrate this divine mystery.
Christ’s Self-Emptying to the Father
Firstly, it is Jesus’ self-emptying of his life back to the Father. His words on the cross in Luke 23:46 confirm this: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” This self-emptying act signifies surrendering his life entirely to God the Father.
Thus, self-emptying inspires those in whom Christ lives with the same attitude to offer everything to the Father. It is reminiscent of Philippians 2:17, where Paul speaks of being poured out like a drink offering (libation) upon the sacrificial offering of faith.
Similar thoughts are in other parts of the New Testament. Romans 12:1, describes a scenario where believers are urged to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, mirroring Christ’s sacrificial offering of himself. Additionally, Hebrews 9:14 speaks of Christ offering himself without blemish to God, highlighting the purity and completeness of his self-emptying sacrifice.
Christ’s Self-Emptying to Us
The Eucharist is also the self-emptying of Jesus to us, his children. This aspect of the revelation is reflected in the words of Jesus in John 15:13, “I lay down my life for my friends,” and in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Isaiah 53:5 prophesizes the same truth: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
By baptism in his blood, we become renewed in him who has poured his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10: 45; Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5-6). We are therefore baptized in him, into his death, and buried with him so we can rise to new life (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). His self-emptying for us is our redemption.
However, our response to this dual self-emptying is less generous or sometimes muddied with uncertainties.
Our Usual Uncertainties or Doubts
We often doubt or seem unsure of what Jesus asks us to do. What does his self-emptying require of us? How does he expect us to respond to this Eucharistic mystery? We are frequently like Philip.
Philip doubts how the poor group of apostles would have the resources to buy food for numerous people, about five thousand men, excluding women and children. Indeed, the number would be above ten thousand people. We are still determining how Christ provides and how the Eucharistic banquet could mean so much when several needs and values don’t seem to desire or align with the blessings Christ proposes to offer.
The Disconnect
Here lies the significant disconnect. When Christ asks us, “what do you have?” instead of stating it, no matter how unworthy or little it may seem, we try to solve the problem ourselves, and the result is always doubt. We can’t solve the world’s problems. Also, when we come to Jesus with preconditions, doubts mount, and faith grows dim.
The same skepticism leads to not seeing the way God sees. For example, during the sacred worship, instead of contemplating on the word of Christ, who offers himself, we dwell on the word of the priest who utters it. Instead of seeing the community united in Christ in the worship of the Father, we see ourselves as the center of that worship.
Let’s consider another example: a common misconception. Some may see the culmination of Christ’s self-emptying in the Eucharist as a simple act of sharing bread for social bonding. However, they often overlook the profound reverence for Christ’s act of transforming the substance of bread and wine into his body and blood. In doing so, they miss the point of Christ’s invitation to partake in his self-emptying, which binds us to him. The truth is, in the Eucharist, we commune with Christ and, in doing so, become one with him as individuals and as a community of faith.
It’s crucial to recognize what Christ sees and is doing. Christ sees our needs and thirsty souls. He offers his body and blood to quench our parched spirits and unite us with him. What we bring to worship is of lesser importance than what Christ bestows. The Lord’s reaction to Andrew’s response serves as a testament to the above claim.
There is more to the Andrew’s response as w’ll discuss next, The Feeding of the Five Thousand, Part 2
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