John’s Gospel has both the story of the institution of the Eucharist but he has a deeper and richer narrative to support it and the first part of the Gospel reading for today’s Mass. But the resonances in this account of the feeding of the crowds are powerful and extensive reaching back to the creation stories in the Book of Genesis, the feeding of the Israelites in the desert and much more. But it all turns on God’s gracious, nourishing and saving initiative.