Mark 8:1-10 NRSVue
1In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, 2“I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.” 4His disciples replied, “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” 5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. 7They had also a few small fish, and after blessing them he ordered that these, too, should be distributed. 8They ate and were filled, and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
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Reflection on Mark 8:1-10
Inspiration from 2025-02-15 Daily Prayer
The human Jesus is so caring and understanding that he knows that this vast crowd must be hungry by now and will struggle to make their way home. Too often, we pamper and attend so much to the needs and wants of our bodies that we neglect the needs of our souls. The body will always want more and more. Let us do more to redress the balance between the needs of both body and spirit.
There is nothing we have that has not been given to us by God. He provides the food that sustains our bodies, and with his own body and blood, he feeds our souls in the Eucharist. It is through the Eucharist that we give him the greatest thanks because it is the offering and prayer of his own Son.
Further reflection
Lord, when you pointed out the hunger of the crowd, your disciples were defeatist: /How can one feed these people in the desert?/ In reply you did not offer magic, but challenged the disciples: /How many loaves do you have?/
All I can work with is what I have, and my experience of your gifts. Instead of looking round for experts, may I use everything I am given.
The loaves of the people fed the crowd. Jesus uses what we can give to him in his service. He speaks his word through us and loves the world through us. We are as amazed as the disciples were that our small contribution can do so much when joined to his power of love.
This scene is reminiscent of the story of the feeding of five thousand in Mark 6, but there are some subtle differences. As in the previous story, Eucharistic references are there: Jesus gives thanks and breaks the bread as he did at the last supper. This time he only breaks seven loaves and two fish. Some scholars see in this number 'seven' a reference to the mission to the Gentiles undertaken by the seven "deacons" mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. (Acts 6:1-7) All Christians are called to be missionaries in the sense of sharing God's unconditional love with others.
Jesus sees the distance I have come and looks at me with compassion. I take this time to allow myself to be nourished as Jesus offers me insight. I bring the people and situations of my life before him.