To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 3:9-24; Mk 8:1-10
Today’s reading contains the second of the two feeding miracles
that are found in Matthew and Mark. It has largely been regarded as a Gentile
feeding as opposed to the first feeding miracle (6,35-44), which is considered
as a Jewish feeding. One reason for this is that the setting of the previous
miracle of the healing of the deaf man with an impediment in his speech was
possibly in Gentile territory and it is presumed that the setting for this
miracle too is the same. Another reason is that this feeding is the less
abundant of the two. While in the first feeding miracle fewer loaves (5) and
fish (2) are required to feed more people (5000) and more baskets are gathered
after the feeding (12), here more loaves (7) and fish (few) are needed to feed
fewer people (400) and lesser baskets are gathered (7). Here too, however, like
in the first feeding miracle, the crowds eat and are satisfied. This indicates
the abundance of the messianic age and what the coming of Jesus represents.
All that we have is given to us in trust by God and is to be
used not selfishly but for the good of others. We can decide to hoard and store
for future generations of our nuclear families, or we can decide to share at
least a little of what we have with the less fortunate.
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