Posted on July 31, 2026 View all Gospel Reflection
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4b)
Today’s readings are all about “free food”! Who doesn’t want free food?
In the Gospel we see how the disciples started to get worried when they saw it was getting late and how were the many people who were there going to eat if Jesus continued teaching. They wanted him to dismiss the crowds to go get their own food. But Jesus says to them “‘…give them some food yourselves.’” (Matthew (14:16b)
In the Gospels there are two accounts of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes. This first one is my favorite – probably because it is the most striking and humbling. Usually, the Apostles were overconfident and felt that anything that Jesus asked of them they could do. Recall how Jesus asked “‘Can you drink the cup that I drink…?’” (Mark 10:38) and they said “‘We can.’” (Mark 10:39) without even knowing what that really entailed. But here, when it deals with material goods, they saw the crowd and knew they had very little. “‘Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.’” (Matthew 14:17)
What Jesus does next must have scared the Apostles to death. After taking the five loaves and breaking them, he gave them to his disciples who in turn had to give them to the crowds. I imagine that when the miracle took place all the people rushed in on them to get food. Many hands reached in and got what they needed. In the brief moments when the disciples looked down, they only saw a few remaining pieces, but more people came and carried away what they needed. Finally, when all were satisfied, they picked up the fragments left over and filled 12 wicker baskets full.
The lesson could not be clearer. When we look at what gifts we have, the supply is meager. But when we trust in God, He multiplies it to provided sustenance for thousands. The work of Christ to provide food for the thousands is a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah who in today’s reading said “Heed me, and you shall eat well…” (Isaiah 55:2) and again in the Responsorial Psalm when we heard “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”
So, when we think about how much we all want free food, why do we fail to approach Christ? I think it is often our own stubbornness, or the illusion that what we can provide is “better.”
The prophet Isaiah reminds us of the great promise made by the Lord: “I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.” (Isaiah 55:3) This promise is made most fully with the Sacrament of the Eucharist. When Jesus celebrated the Last Supper, he took bread, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying “‘Take and eat; this is my body.’” (Matthew 26:26) and then “‘for this Is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:28) and then told them to “‘do this in memory of me.’” (Luke 22:19b)
It is this great Sacrament that is foreshadowed in the multiplication of the loaves. Let us this week ask ourselves to be thankful to the Lord for his renewed covenant with us, the forgiveness of our sins, and for the great blessing of this food that gives us everlasting life. May we receive it worthily, and may we become like what we eat, the image of Christ for the world.
