Matthew 15:32-39: a reflection

32Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.” 33The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?” 34Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; 36and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 37They all ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. 38Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children. 39Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

A great crowd has been with Jesus for three days in a deserted place, and they have nothing left to eat. Jesus says to his disciples, I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat; I do not want to send them away hungry, or they might faint on the way. From seven loaves and a few small fish, he feeds four thousand men, besides women and children, and there are seven baskets of leftovers. His compassion moved him to meet their real, physical need.

Notice what moved Jesus: compassion for the crowd's hunger. He was concerned not only for their souls but for their bodies, their real and ordinary need for food. He noticed that they were hungry, that they might faint on the way home, and his compassion moved him to feed them. Jesus cares about our practical, physical needs, not only our spiritual ones; the same Lord who forgives sins also noticed a hungry crowd and fed them.

That is a comfort for our ordinary needs. We can imagine that God cares only about the spiritual, and that our practical, physical, everyday needs are beneath his notice. But Jesus was moved with compassion over a hungry crowd, and fed them; he cares about our real needs, our bodies, our daily provision. Bring your ordinary, practical needs to the compassionate Christ, not only your spiritual ones. The Lord who fed the hungry crowd out of compassion sees your needs too, and cares. Do not think any real need too ordinary to bring to him; his compassion reaches to the whole of your life.

Lord Jesus, you had compassion on the hungry crowd, unwilling to send them away faint, and you fed them out of seven loaves and a few fish. Thank you that your compassion reaches to our real, ordinary needs, not only our spiritual ones. I can imagine that you care only about the spiritual, and that my practical, everyday needs are beneath your notice. But you were moved over a hungry crowd, and fed them; you care about my body, my daily provision, my ordinary needs. Help me bring my practical needs to you, not only my spiritual ones, trusting that your compassion sees the whole of my life. The Lord who fed the crowd out of compassion sees my needs too. Let me not think any real need too ordinary to bring to you, but trust your compassion for all of it.