Reading 1
Acts 5:34-42
A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.
For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.
But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
They were persuaded by him.
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.
Gospel
Jn 6:1-15
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Meditation: John 6:1-15
Where can we buy enough food for them to eat? (John 6:5)
One popular explanation for the multiplication of loaves and fishes is that the people were moved by Jesus’ preaching and began to share the little bit of food they had brought along but were keeping to themselves. But what if this account in John’s Gospel happened exactly as written? What if John included it as a way of prefiguring the miraculous meal of the Eucharist, where everyone is nourished? If it is real, then, this story of the miraculous feeding is a living parable that illustrates how mercy, compassion, and abundance take the place of self-interest and lack in the kingdom of God. And that is good news indeed!
Is it so hard to believe that Jesus really did multiply the bread and fish as a way of revealing the kingdom of God? Think about all the different ways he tried to make his followers understand that this kingdom had finally come. Why would he not use something as tangible as food for a hungry, needy crowd? Why would he not use this opportunity to show how our needs can be satisfied in this kingdom—or how this kingdom sets us free from selfishness so that, like the apostles, we are set free to share with others what Jesus has freely given us?
This story is foundational to the gospel message precisely because it reveals the kingdom Jesus came to establish. This kingdom is not just a theory or a fairy-tale ideal. It is a concrete reality, as concrete as the bread and fish that the people ate on that day. We may not see the kingdom in fullness yet, but we do see glimpses and glimmers: in the Eucharist, in families where Jesus is honored, in vibrant parishes, and in ministries that reach out to the lonely and marginalized.
First and foremost, the kingdom of God is within you! It’s in your heart that the superabundant love of God can heal wounds and fill emptiness. It’s in your heart that sinful habits can be overcome and godly virtues can be strengthened. And it’s from within your heart that God’s goodness can be multiplied and start to spill out to everyone around you.
“Father, I believe your kingdom has come. Help me to see it—in my heart, in my life, and in the lives of everyone around me!”
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