Eastertide Day 13 Friday May 2 2025
John 6: 1-15 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
In this passage, we witness one of Jesus’ most well-known miracles: the feeding of the five thousand. As the crowd follows Jesus, longing to hear His teaching and experience His healing touch, their need for physical sustenance becomes evident. With just five barley loaves and two small fish, Jesus transforms scarcity into abundance, revealing both His divine power and His compassionate heart.
This miracle is not merely about meeting physical hunger; it is a profound sign of God’s provision and care. It points us to the deeper truth that Jesus Himself is the Bread of Life, the One who nourishes our souls and satisfies the deepest longings of our hearts. In this Eastertide season, as we continue to celebrate the resurrection, we are reminded that our risen Lord is abundantly sufficient for all our needs—both physical and spiritual.
The boy who offers his humble lunch reminds us that even the smallest gifts, when surrendered to Jesus, can be multiplied for the good of others. Are we willing to bring what we have, no matter how insignificant it seems, and trust that God can use it for His glory?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Bread of Life, and in You, we find all we need. Thank You for Your compassion and provision, both in the physical and spiritual realms. Teach us to trust You with what we have, no matter how small, knowing that You can multiply it for Your purposes. As we reflect on Your resurrection during this Eastertide, help us to live with hearts full of gratitude and faith. May we, like the boy in the story, offer what we have for Your glory, trusting in Your power to do far beyond what we can imagine. Amen.