The Gospel story assigned to be read this weekend is interesting in several regards. It is one of the stories that tells us of the multiplication of the loaves – Jesus feeding many people who came to hear Him teach with very little food.

First, it is unlikely that very many of the crowd would have left home for a day’s journey without carrying some food. The modern Palestinian peasant would not be so improvident. Further, the amount mentioned – five loaves and a couples of fish – would not have even been suffice for Jesus and the Twelve. The particular ceremonial with which Jesus blesses and distributes the food anticipates the Last Supper. The Twelve hand out the food and collect twelve baskets of fragments, one basket for each of the apostles.

Matthew heightens the number of the people by telling us that uncounted women and children were fed besides 5,000 men. This is the number that Mark mentioned in his account. The number is very probably exaggerated, and is not the result of a head count in any case. Oral tradition tends to raise such figures.

The usual note of wonder that follows miracles is not mentioned here. The incident is related less for the element of the miraculous than as a symbol and an anticipation of the Eucharist and of the Messianic banquet.

The association with the Eucharist is more explicit in John’s Gospel (chapter 6), where the multiplication of the loaves is followed by John’s Eucharistic discourse. It is a Messianic sign and symbol that will find its fulfillment in the true Messianic banquet, the Eucharist. Matthew abbreviated this story less sharply than other stories. Truly his abbreviations, achieved by the omission of some details and dialogue, have the effect of heightening the symbolic significance of the incident.

So what is the meaning of this story? We must remember that in Matthew’s Gospel this is the first miracle sign that Jesus performs. It is meant to remind us that the teachings of Jesus are food indeed for the spirit and not the body.

This tells us that the teachings of Jesus are, in reality, food for our spirits. If we ingest them, they will help us to spiritually grow. Trying to live like Jesus lived can only have one effect: spiritual growth. This, of course, is the meaning and purpose of this earthly life, that is to spiritually grow so that we can come into deeper and more complete union with God our Creator.

Ask yourself this: What does this story mean to me? How does it help me?