I’d like to take a little time this morning to reflect on the first verses of our Gospel reading, the passage describing the feeding of the five thousand. That scene is described in all four Gospels, but John gives it a special significance by designating it as one of the seven signs in which Jesus is revealed as having power over material things. It is also a first sign of Him as the Bread of Life.

Initially, Jesus has wanted to take his disciples away by boat from the towns of Galilee, to have some time alone with them to hear about their travels and to teach them. But he is defeated by the crowds, who have seen where his boat is headed and are determined to follow him. The crowds are larger than might normally be expected from the small local towns, even allowing for Jesus’ increasing popularity as a healer and teacher, because the time of Passover is near, and numerous pilgrims will be passing through these towns on their way to Jerusalem. Many of them will have had to walk a long way - about nine miles - to come to the deserted site where Jesus is meeting with his disciples.

Jesus takes pity on them as He knows how much they want to hear him speak. John does not say, but the Gospel of Mark tells us that Jesus spends some time in teaching them, until the afternoon draws on and the question of food arises. The people are tired and hungry and must be fed. Jesus turns first to Philip, who comes from Bethsaida, the nearest town of any size. Philip is totally discouraging; to feed a crowd this size would take more than six months’ wages, a lot of money which they haven’t got.

So Jesus turns to Andrew, who at least has something positive to offer. A lad from in the crowd has come to him to offer his picnic lunch of five cheap barley loaves and two small pickled fish. That is sufficient for Jesus. He makes the crowd sit down. He takes and blesses the offered food which is then distributed among the crowd. There is enough for everyone to be satisfied. When they are finished, the leftovers fill twelve baskets.

The crowds know that they have witnessed a miracle. They want to take Jesus and make him king. But he escapes from them.

I do not doubt for one minute that a miracle took place. As John portrays it, it is a sign of Jesus’ power. It is also a sign of Jesus as the bread of life. But I have had lingering doubts about the actual mechanics of it. These were reinforced when I attended a Eucharist service at St Clement’s, a church in North Vancouver, Canada. The celebrating priest there did not use wafers as we do. Instead, a small round loaf of specially baked bread was duly consecrated. We all stood in a circle to receive; there were I think about 25 of us. The officiating priest broke off a piece of the loaf which she ate. She then passed the loaf to the person next to her to break off a bit, and so on around the circle. It was lovely – but it took so long! My grandchildren were getting a bit restive! And I found myself wondering how long it would have taken for five thousand people in the crowd each to receive a bit of the boy’s barley loaves and a bit of his pickled fish. It would have taken ages. And it was beginning to get dark. And they had a long walk home.

It was therefore with a sensation of relief and thankfulness that I read the words of the Reverend William Barclay, that great Scottish theologian of the last century:

“There may be another and very lovely explanation. It is not really to be thought that the crowd left on a nine-mile expedition without making any preparations at all. If there were pilgrims with them, they would certainly possess supplies for the way. But it may be that none of them would produce what they had, for they selfishly – and very humanly – wished to keep it all for themselves. It may be that Jesus, with that rare smile of his, produced the little store that He and his disciples had; with sunny faith He thanked God for it and shared it out. Moved by his example, everyone one who had anything did the same, and in the end there was enough and more than enough for all. It may that this is a miracle in which the presence of Jesus and his loveliness turned a crowd of selfish men and women into a fellowship of sharers.” [Barclay; the Gospel of John,  p. 206]

In other words, there were two miracles, not just one. The boy with his loaves and fishes and his willingness to share enabled both of them.

There are at least two lessons for us in this. First and foremost, we must never doubt the power of Jesus to work miracles. Through the Holy Spirit He can and does work for us today, just as He had power to multiply loaves and fishes to feed his needy followers. But second, sometimes miracles can be wrought through us, just normal people, when we look beyond ourselves to see the needs of others and offer what we have, even if it seems pitifully little and inadequate.