Jul
28

18th Sunday OT A: The Feeding of the Multitudes

The feeding of the multitudes is a social miracle:  Jesus feeds five thousand excluding the women and children.  The number represents a significant portion of the total population of Palestine at that time.  The command of Jesus to his disciples to feed the people sets the miracle into motion.  Matthew rewrites this story so that it is through the breaking of the bread that the miracle happens.  There is a sidelight to the miracle story however.  The miracle happens after Jesus is rejected from Nazareth and John the Baptist dies.  Even when Jesus’ ministry seems enveloped in defeat, he continues to heal the multitudes and satisfy their hunger.

Links to Res Biblica

Feed Them Yourselves
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
See also Jerome and Ambrose on the Feeding of the Five Thousand

Question Guides for Reading

1. Read Matthew 14:13-21 and try to make an outline of it. (Look for changes in setting, subjects of verbs, etc.)

2. Did the narrative occur in just one day or several days?

3. Did the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand occur one of the Jesus’ happiest days? Why do you think did the crowd follow Jesus that day?

4. "Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to his disciples…" Where do you usually hear this sentence outside of the Scriptures?

5. In the face of the world’s hunger today, what is the story telling you?

Comparing the Gospel Reading with the First Reading

The first reading for the day’s liturgy is taken from the concluding section of Deutero-Isaiah’s "Book of Consolation" Isaiah 55:1-3. It is an oracle addressed to the thirsty and the hungry. Yahweh calls them to Himself that they may be satisfied from the generous fare He is offering for free. The selected reading ends with a promise: that of renewing the covenant and benefits assured to David.

Matthew’s gospel is clear on this point about Jesus: that with his arrival the last days have arrived. The proclamation of the kingdom’s nearness is actually about the Messianic kingdom that God will establish in the last days, where Israel will placed under the care of the Davidic Messiah. The feeding of the multitude is a realization of prophetic oracles about the last days: in the Messianic kingdom no one goes hungry or thirsty.

Suggestions for the Lesson Plan

1. Take the hint offered in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist.(Cf. Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39) The sign of water turned into wine at Cana already announces the Hour of Jesus’ glorification. It makes manifest the fulfillment of the wedding feast in the Father’s kingdom, where the faithful will drink the new wine that has become the Blood of Christ.(Cf. John 2:11; Mark 14:25) (CCC 1335)

2. Those who eat the Body of Christ and drink His blood are obliged by this act to live as Christ did, feeding the hungry and restoring the emarginated to their rightful place in society. The social responsibility of the Christian — salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) and yeast that makes the dough rise (Matthew 13:33) — is best underlined under this perspective.

Matthew 14:13-21
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
13Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from thence by boat, into a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities.
14And he coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the multitudes, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals.
16But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat.
17They answered him: We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes.
18He said to them: Bring them hither to me.
19And when he had commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
20And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments.
21And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children.
Isaiah 55:1-3
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
1All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money make haste, buy, and eat: come ye, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price.
2Why do you spend money for that which is not breed, and your labour for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.
3Incline your ear and come to me: hear and your soul shall lire, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the faithful mercies of David.
Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
1413Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from thence by boat, into a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities.
14And he coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the multitudes, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals.
16But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat.
17They answered him: We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes.
18He said to them: Bring them hither to me.
19And when he had commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
20And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments.
21And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children.
1532And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
33And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude?
34And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes.
35And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground.
36And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people.
37And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.
38And they that did eat, were four thousand men, beside children and women.
39And having dismissed the multitude, he went up into a boat, and came into the coasts of Magedan.
John 2:11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
Mark 14:25
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
25Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 5:13
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.
Matthew 13:33
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
33Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.
CCC 1335
¶1335 The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist. The sign of water turned into wine at Cana already announces the Hour of Jesus' glorification. It makes manifest the fulfillment of the wedding feast in the Father's kingdom, where the faithful will drink the new wine that has become the Blood of Christ.

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2 Comments on 18th Sunday OT A: The Feeding of the Multitudes

  1. AlexM says:
    August 15, 2008 at 2:03 pm

    Your blog is interesting!

    Keep up the good work!

    Reply
  2. (OT — A) XVI – XVIII Sunday says:
    August 9, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    [...] Workshop: The Feeding of the Multitudes [...]

    Reply

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