…When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." (Jesus) said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over– twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. (Mt 14:13-21)
Why doesn’t God do something about it? This is the question that we all of us ask when we are faced with problem. We want God to enter into our situations to solve them. But Jesus wants his followers do to something about it (give them some food yourselves). God (also Jesus) wants men to do something about the situations. He does want us to take initiative.
Man’s effort is little. It will certainly not satisfy all. It is a limited effort. Man has only five loaves and two fishes. And that is all he has. Man should accept his limitedness and acknowledge his limitedness. Man also should bring his limitedness to God. God will do the miracle. But the miracle needs the limited effort from man. It is not needed for God. But the limitedness makes the man to realize the importance of God and his own role as creature.
When man’s little effort and God’s activities join together miracles do happen. The greatest meaning of the miracle is the significance of twelve loaves. Twelve loaves signify the twelve tribes of Israel. It is all the people of Israel. So God’s miracle is to satisfy all the people of Israel. It is for all.
