Jesus summoned the disciples and said,
"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
because they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
The disciples had seen something like this before so we might assume they ought to know what should be done in this case as well. Jesus had been moved with compassion for the crowd of five thousand and was now moved with pity for the four thousand. They had invested so much of their time into being near him that they hadn't eaten for three days, a length of time enough to ensure that they couldn't make it safely to their homes for food. Jesus pointed this out before the disciples could suggest sending them away to fend for themselves. But rather than remembering the previous miracle of the bread they seemed to grow hopeless.
His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread
to satisfy them here in this deserted place?"
Where indeed. But of course, even modern disciples don't necessarily learn lessons the first time, especially lessons about the abundance of God available through Jesus Christ. We have an almost uncanny ability to assume that the first time God supplied our needs was a fluke, and the all subsequent times were more aberrations. Actually trusting that God has a plan when we clearly don't have enough doesn't come naturally.
Perhaps his disciples were concerned that Jesus would use up their meager seven loaves leaving them with nothing. A little piece for every person would quickly run through the supply without making much difference for any individual. Also, they may not have been thinking as clearly or creatively about helping a crowd that was primarily Gentile in origin. Had they shared Jesus' pity for the crowd they would have been more likely to seek an repeat of the multiplication of the loaves even if such a repeat seemed unlikely to them.
Jesus did not let his disciples lack of vision prevent him from responding to the needs of the crowds. He gave thanks and once again demonstrated that as long as he was present there was enough. Previously there had been twelve baskets leftover, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Now there were seven, for the seven Pagan nations that previously inhabited Canaan.
By the sweat of your face
shall you get bread to eat,
Until you return to the ground,
from which you were taken;
Jesus was actually undoing the curse that befell Adam after his first sin in the garden. This feast of bread in the desert came about without requiring the usual sweat and tears. And it pointed forward toward the Eucharist where there would always be an abundance for the spiritual needs of his people. The Eucharist in turn pointed forward to the eternal Wedding Feast ot the Lamb in heaven, when every need would be met, when Jesus "will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (see Revelation 21:4).
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