Interpretation of the Gospel for every day of the year. Week eight after Pentecost.

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov

When Jesus saw a multitude of people, we hear in today's Gospel, He had compassion on them. No one like Christ has such pity for human souls. His compassion for people truly has no end. The entire Gospel reveals to us just such a face of Christ. He not only pities people, He helps them. How many who were sick and healed - and now that He sees them hungry, He feeds them.

The disciples probably thought that the day of hardest work was finally over, and now it was time to dismiss the people. But Christ cannot let people go hungry and commands His disciples to feed them. An amazing thing is that not only the people are attracted to Christ, but Christ Himself does not want to part with those who come to Him. “There is no need for them to leave,” He says, “but if they are so hungry, they need to leave, because their nature requires it. But you'd better give them something to eat now." The Lord for the body (1 Corinthians 6:13) is the creation of His hands, this is what, like the soul, He came to redeem. He Himself has put on a body, and He must teach us to rely on Him for everything that concerns our bodily needs. If we are looking for the Kingdom of God, if this is our main thought and concern, everything else will be added to us in the way that He considers useful for us. That is, in such a way that it strengthens us on our path to the Kingdom of God.

And here we have a wonderful feast at which Christ Himself treats. Someone noticed that by the number of guests one can judge how much was paid for the feast. There were five thousand of them, not counting women and children, but He could have fed all mankind. As well as feeding, by the way. Desiring only one thing - that we not be deprived of the heavenly feast of the Lamb. The fact of the matter is that the question remains: did they all follow Christ after that? Or were they satisfied and left Him forever? Or perhaps there were those among them who then shouted: “Crucify Him!”

We are happy to think that the Church is a multitude of people, and it is gratifying to see when many people gather in the temple for a feast. This is a good sign. But does everyone, when they leave the temple, keep the word of the Lord in their hearts? How many of those who went to the temple, when the revolution of 1917 came, found themselves among the enemies of Christ! And we know that this was not the last test of the Church.

First of all, the Lord wants to nourish us with the word of truth, and only then does a miracle happen. Five loaves and two fishes. Firstly, it is very little - just something for a small family. This may not be enough for us. And, secondly, the most simple, ordinary food. No wine, no delicacies. Is it not because we do not seek diversity and refinement in food and in everything earthly, but only the most necessary? However, the simplest food can become wonderfully delicious, tastier than anything in the world. Thus, during Great Lent, the Lord returns to us the taste for the simplest food as a miracle. So monastic food is exceptionally tasty, because it is prepared with the blessing of God and with prayer. And for this reason, every Christian meal must certainly be preceded by prayer.

He planted on the grass, where, it seems, even the most necessary things are missing: no tablecloth, no plates, no forks, no chairs, no tables - not like royal splendor. But He shows that His Kingdom is not of this world.

What mystery of the Kingdom of God did the Lord teach the apostles and the whole Church by this miracle? When the world is in need, and we ourselves have very little, we must give to others out of this little. This is the best way to get more. To do this, you need to bring everything to Christ. Here is God's answer for all time: to what the economic problems that humanity is struggling to solve really mean.

Only in this way can we achieve prosperity and well-being - to put everything in the hands of our Lord, so that He will dispose of it as He pleases, and so that we can take it back from His hands. And then everything will not only increase a hundredfold, but will also become infinitely sweeter for us. That is why the Holy Church sees in this miracle a prototype of the Eucharist and a foretaste of the coming Kingdom of Heaven.

The servants of Christ will never be able to fill the hearts of men with heavenly food unless first Christ fills their hands. This is the meaning of Christ's discipleship: what the Lord gives to His disciples, they must give to people. Notice how the loaves multiplied, not in such a way that mountains of food suddenly arose, but as the distribution was made. So grace and that which is by grace grows (like a flame from one candle to thousands of others) when it is distributed. Do not seek the earthly kingdom first of all - while everything earthly perishes, disappears when spent, spiritual gifts (and everything earthly, when it is determined by the search for heaven) are multiplied.

A person who has known the miracle of Christ's love gives joyfully and freely, and receives more and more. As it is said in the Gospel, after the multiplication of loaves, twelve boxes of pieces were left - one box for each apostle - so that they could continue their lives as Christ teaches. What they gave, they received again, and with it they received infinitely more. So that they and all of us know that Christ does not give sparingly, but generously and in abundance.

The Church is calling us today see that life is wonderful. The Holy Fathers say that in the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, the same power of God is manifested, which every year multiplies the seeds sown in the earth and, as in the first days of creation, commands the earth to bear its fruit. So what is given to the earth in handfuls is returned in sheaves. This is the work of the Lord, and this is our participation in the miracle of the Lord.

Blessed be our God! If all our people, all mankind, gathered at His feet, then there would be enough for everyone, and there would be enough for everyone. But the most important thing is that the Kingdom of Heaven would begin here and now.