Sunday, August 02, 2026
In Matthew 14:13-21 we find this:
Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
I love this whole story! One aspect, often (and properly) noted is that clearly the people have come to hear him preach, but first he heals them and feeds them. He doesn't just offer them words.
We usually assume that it was a miracle that multiplied the loaves and fishes, but this text does not make that claim. It might be that once Jesus shared all he had, others were willing to share what they had-- they went home and got their own loaves to share. It can be taken as a story about the power of sacrificial leadership-- of being the first to do the right, hard thing in a public way.
And maybe that is a miracle, too.
