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Gospel commentary for Wednesday, December 4, 2024
witness and participate
In this passage, we witness a powerful demonstration of Jesus’s compassion and provision. He goes up a mountainside, and large crowds bring the sick, the lame, the blind, and many others to him. Jesus responds not only with healing but also with a deep sense of empathy, recognizing the physical and spiritual needs of the people.
The multitude stays with Jesus for three days, highlighting their hunger for both physical and spiritual nourishment. In the wilderness, Jesus miraculously feeds them with seven loaves and a few small fish, emphasizing the abundance that flows from His hands.
The act of taking the seven loaves and fish, giving thanks, breaking them, and distributing to the crowds mirrors the pattern of the Last Supper. This prefigures the sacrificial nature of Jesus’s life and foreshadows the Eucharistic celebration, where Christ offers Himself for the sustenance of His people.
The leftovers, collected in seven baskets, signify not only the abundance of God’s provision but also the completeness and perfection in Christ. Seven, a biblical symbol of perfection, emphasizes the divine fullness in Jesus’s ministry.
This miracle speaks to the inclusivity of God’s grace. The crowd is diverse, representing different needs, backgrounds, and conditions. In Christ, there is provision for all, and no one is excluded from His compassionate care.
As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of Christ’s ability to meet our needs, both physical and spiritual. His compassion knows no bounds, and in Him, we find abundance. The call for us is to bring our needs to Him, trusting in His provision, and to be instruments of His love and generosity in the world. May we, like the disciples, witness and participate in the miraculous outpouring of God’s grace in the lives of those around us.