Seventh Sunday after Trinity AD 2024
When reading the Gospels, one often wonders why some passages contain quite a lot of seemingly unimportant details, while in other places the evangelists tend to abbreviate too much. There are also several facts in today’s Gospel that may raise the question of whether they are needed. The correct answer is it is quite certain that if they were not needed, St. Mark would not have wasted ink or parchment on them.
Jesus tells His disciples that the multitude has been with Him for three days and that they have nothing to eat. He is concerned about them: “If I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way.”
Every time the number three is mentioned in the Gospels, it’s worth stopping for a moment and asking if it’s referring to something – something important and significant. For example, the number three may represent the Most Holy Trinity. But if it is “three days”, it could be an allusion to Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day.
The Gospel of St. Luke talks about two disciples who were on their way home to Emmaus on the third day after Jesus’ death. They were worried, even desperate, their hearts were sad, and all hope was gone. Jesus came to them, spoke to them, and then broke bread with them. And at once they received refreshment not only for their bodies, but even more so for their souls. They returned to Jerusalem and announced their encounter with the risen Lord to the other disciples.
We are all like that hungry multitude in the wilderness. Our situation sometimes seems hopeless, like that of the two disciples at Emmaus. But our Lord promises to feed us: not only with daily bread, but even more so with various spiritual gifts.
Today’s Gospel says that Jesus had seven loaves and some fish. The Church traditionally speaks of seven sacraments, in addition to which there are many other means of grace. With all these, our good and gracious Lord feeds and strengthens us so that we may not grow weary but may reach our eternal goal in heaven.