Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes
By Jenny Komenda

“Jesus said, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘We have only five loaves here and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.”
Matthew 14:16-20

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In all four Gospels, we find the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. It begins with a crowd – hungry, far from home, and seemingly without resources. The disciples, overwhelmed by the need, likely anxious for some nourishment themselves, suggest sending everyone away to find food. But Jesus has a different plan. He tells the disciples to feed the multitude. Incredulous at this seemingly impossible request, the Savior then asks them to look and see what they have and can offer. Five loaves and two small fishes. Barely enough for one family, let alone thousands. Yet Jesus takes this small offering and blesses it. Miraculously, it becomes enough to feed all present, with baskets full of food left over.

Michael Wilcox has taught, “Sometimes in our need, both for ourselves and for others, we look at what we have, our few loaves and tiny fishes, and, like the apostles, tell the Lord that there is not sufficient.” The task before us seems so far beyond our capacity. In Brother Wilcox’s telling, “we may lack courage, or self-confidence, or love, or strength, or faith, or the mercy to forgive. Whatever our circumstances, the Lord always asks us to bring what we have, no matter how small it may seem compared to the multitude standing before us.” When we turn to the Lord in our deficiency and ask Him to supply what we lack, He first asks that we do an accounting of what resources we do have – often much more than we initially thought – and then to turn all of it over to Him. What we have to offer may still feel small. The promise of this miracle is that, as we trust in Jesus and bring our few loaves and fishes in faith to Him, He will bless and magnify them so that they will be more than enough.

This miraculous abundance comes only in partnership with Christ. As the great 15th century thinker Erasmus explained: “Don’t worry as to where this food is to come from, just see what you have at home and bring that to the Lord. He will bless it and give it back to you to distribute. Nothing which he has not touched will be of any avail. Whatever you have, place it in the hands of Jesus. Let him bless and break it and give it to you. Then you will give it to the people, not as your own but as coming from him.”

But there is still more to the miracle. At the conclusion of the meal, after everyone is abundantly fed, twelve baskets of food are returned to those who offered up their few loaves in faith-filled sacrifice. They are blessed far beyond what they initially gave. For Jesus is kind to those who offer up loaves and fishes in faith. And however inadequate they may seem, we can be assured that whatever we place in His hands will be enough, and more.

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