One of his disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter said to Jesus ‘There is a lad here, who has five barley breads and two fish. But what good are these among so many?’ Jesus said ‘Make the people sit down.’ (There was plenty of grass in the place. So the men sat – there were about 5,000).
So Jesus took the breads and having given thanks he passed them out to those who were seated. In a similar way he gave out the fish, as much as they wanted. Then, when they had enough, he said to his disciples ‘Collect the leftover pieces, so that nothing is wasted.’ So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve baskets with leftovers from the five barley breads, left over by those who had eaten. So when the people had seen the sign which he had done, they began to say ‘This is certainly the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus knowing that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again into the hill country, by himself.
Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
St Ignatius