Week 34 of the Church year
പെന്തിക്കോസ്തിക്കു ശേഷം അഞ്ചാം ഞായർ
The apostles come back tired, and Jesus takes them away to rest. The crowds follow. By evening there are five thousand hungry people and only five loaves and two fish.
Jesus tries to take the apostles away to rest near Bethsaida, but the crowds follow. He welcomes them, teaches and heals. In the evening the twelve want to send everyone away. He tells them to give the people food, and feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fish.
The evening Gospel and the Qurbana Gospel are the same passage today, so the whole day turns on this one miracle.
“You give them something to eat.” Jesus uses what we have, even when it is obviously not enough.
ഈ ഞായറാഴ്ചയുടെ വായനകൾ
Five loaves and two fish feed five thousand, with twelve baskets left over.
Faith like a mustard seed can move mountains.
Three feasts a year; bring the best of your first fruits to the house of the Lord.
You will not abandon me to the grave; in your presence is fullness of joy.
Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles.
Ananias is sent to lay hands on Saul, and something like scales falls from his eyes.
We are ambassadors for Christ: be reconciled to God.
Five loaves and two fish feed five thousand, with twelve baskets left over. This is the Gospel of the day.
Open in five scenesIsrael brings the first fruits of harvest to God, and the psalm trusts God as the giver of every good thing. Isaiah says those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Ananias is sent to Saul, and Paul calls us ambassadors for Christ.
References follow the official lectionary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Your parish may read them in a different order.
Pick a scene to see what happens in it and what is easy to miss.
The apostles return and report. Jesus takes them away privately to Bethsaida, but the crowds find out and follow. He welcomes them, speaks about the kingdom and heals those who need it.
Jesus “welcomed” the crowd that interrupted his rest. Luke chose that word carefully.
Late in the day the twelve say: send the crowd away to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place.
The disciples’ suggestion is sensible and kind. It just leaves Jesus out.
You give them something to eat, says Jesus. We have only five loaves and two fish, they answer, unless we buy food for all these people. There are about five thousand men.
Luke counts only the men. With women and children, the crowd was much larger.
Jesus has them sit in groups of about fifty. He takes the loaves and fish, looks up to heaven, blesses and breaks them, and gives them to the disciples to serve.
Took, blessed, broke, gave: the words of the Last Supper and of every Qurbana.
All eat and are satisfied. The leftovers fill twelve baskets.
One basket for each apostle. The ones who doubted there was enough end up with more than they started with.
The verse to keep
“അവൻ അവരോടു: നിങ്ങൾ തന്നേ അവർക്കു ഭക്ഷിപ്പാൻ കൊടുപ്പിൻ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞതിന്നു: അഞ്ചപ്പവും രണ്ടുമീനും അല്ലാതെ അധികം ഞങ്ങളുടെ പക്കൽ ഇല്ല; ഞങ്ങൾ പോയി ഈ സകലജനത്തിന്നും വേണ്ടി ഭോജ്യങ്ങൾ കൊള്ളേണമോ എന്നു അവർ പറഞ്ഞു.”But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.”
The twelveപന്ത്രണ്ടു പേർ
Just back from their mission, tired, and asked to feed a crowd.
“—”
തികയാത്തതും അവന്റെ കയ്യിൽ
The disciples’ maths was correct. Five loaves and two fish do not feed five thousand people. Their suggestion to send everyone away to buy food was practical. Jesus asked something impossible instead: you give them something to eat.
What they had was not enough, and Jesus did not pretend it was. He took it, looked up to heaven, blessed it and broke it, and gave it back to them to share. The disciples still did the serving. The miracle happened in their hands as they handed it out.
We often look at a need and at what we have, and decide it is hopeless. A parish budget, a family’s energy, one person’s time. This Gospel does not promise that we will always see a miracle. It does say that small things given to Jesus are not small any more. Bring the loaves; let him bless them.
കുടുംബമായി സംസാരിക്കാം
When have you seen a small gift make a big difference?
Two minutes after the audio. Everyone gets a turn, and nobody is interrupted.Cook a little extra this week and share it with a neighbour, or give to a food collection.
Lord Jesus, you took five loaves and two fish and fed a crowd. Take the little we have, bless it and break it, and let it feed many. Amen.
The whole year
Every Sunday of the Church year, season by season: readings, the Gospel and a question for the family.
Sunday 6 of 18 in Pentecost