"How can one feed these people . . .?" This might be a question we would ask today. We look around at the poverty and we wonder: what can we possibly do about it? There's so much need in the world....so many problems....so many who lack a basic necessity. Where do we begin?
Jesus' question: "How many loaves do you have?" The disciples' answer: "Seven."
Notice that Jesus takes all seven loaves, breaks them in order that they may be shared, and distributes. And, once all are fed, no one can miss that there is still an abundance left over. What might have seemed like not enough (simply seven) in the eyes of the disciples became even more than enough once it was placed into the hands of Jesus. Given over to Jesus to decide how it should be used and distributed.
The disciples had to be willing to share their loaves---all of them in this story---and to allow them to be broken, not remain whole---in order for all to have their share, with some left over. And yet, just after this wondrous sight----when they are in the boat with only one loaf in their hands, they still doubted God's abundance. "Do you not yet understand?" No, Jesus, no, we do not.
What do we withhold, unwilling for it to be broken, shared, distributed? What is it that we cannot bear to place in Jesus' hands? As we approach Lent, a discipline we take on could be bringing this withholding into our prayer life and allowing God's transforming presence to do God's work.
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