Luke 9:11-17 NRSVue
11When the crowds found out about it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed to be cured.
12The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” 13But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15They did so and had them all sit down. 16And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
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Reflection on Luke 9:11-17
Inspiration from 2025-06-22 Daily Prayer
When Jesus feeds the five thousand in this remote place, we are reminded of how God fed his people with manna in the desert. This feast of Corpus Christi, also speaks to us of the much greater miracle of Jesus giving us his own body and blood for over two thousand years. St Ignatius urges us to ‘always ponder with deep affection how the Lord wishes to give himself to us’.
A gift that is not received and welcomed loses its power to bring us closer to the giver. At the holy sacrifice of the Mass, do we receive our Lord with warmth and gratitude?
Further reflection
"You give them something to eat." Lord, what did you mean by that? One reading is that many people had brought food with them, but did not want to share it out, until the apostles led the way with their five loaves and two fish. So Jesus turned selfish, suspicious people into generous people, happy to share – a greater miracle than multiplying bread.
Lord, transform me in the same way.