This Sunday Gospel is the remarkable conclusion of what began three weeks ago. If we recall, Jesus sent out the Twelve disciples with divine authority “two by two…. So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” (Cf. Mark 6:7-13). The Twelve return after this mission and report the miraculous results: people confessed their sins, demons were expelled and amazingly, illnesses were healed. As word of their power spreads, it’s not surprising a huge crowd now begins to follow them. They want more. As we recount from last Sunday’s reading, “People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.” (Cf. Mark 6:31). When Our Lord saw the desperate crowd, were told that his heart was pierced with “pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd….” (Cf. Mark 6:34). 

As modern-day Christians, who strive to make attendance at Sunday Mass a part of our lives. Why? Because we are like the crowds. Like them, we see something in Jesus that is absolutely attractive, compelling, and impossible to ignore. He is the radiant, illuminescent flame in the dank, cold darkness. We are the flailing moth insect, fluttering about haplessly in the wind, compelled and drawn to this flaming light. This is why for the Christian to be utterly ravished by Christ, he must first begin by recognizing this hunger deep within his soul. Catholicism at its core is a religion for starving people. We feast on delights of this world yet we still leave the table famished and in need. Once we realize the hunger of spirit is different and indomitable by anything the world can offer, we are ready to look to Jesus for the answer. 

The vast crowds are ready for Jesus. They’ve come far and wide looking for him whom they heard has cured the sick. They saw him and his followers cast out the demons of their loved ones. And even more so, his words and teaching soothe the soul like no other. The crowds get a small taste of what Christianity offers. This tiny morsel of truth satiates their hunger far more than all the worldly riches combined. They want more. We want more! We’re told this Sunday in the Gospel that this hungry crowd swelled to over 5,000. “A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing….” (Cf. John 6:1). What happens next will be one of the most memorable miracles our precious Lord will ever perform. It is the only miracle of Jesus recounted in all four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. No other miracle left such a lasting impression. Jesus takes the “five barley loaves and two fish” prays over them and gives the Heavenly Father praise and thanksgiving. Suddenly, the bread and fish are multiplied and the vast desperate crowd are fed. As if this miracle is not amazing enough, Jesus still has another miracle in store for us. The feeding with the loaves and fish is only a preparation for something even more magnificent. All of this is pointing to the greatest gift he will give us at the Last Supper, where the True Bread of Heaven will finally be given. Jesus will give us his very Body and Blood to feast upon. And this miraculous “bread” is available at every single Holy Mass.