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When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved
with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34
Both Jesus and the Twelve Apostles had been working very hard. The
Twelve had been out on mission to many of the neighboring towns
preaching, healing the sick and casting out demons. Upon the
completion of their mission, they returned to Jesus and reported
all that they had done. Jesus, in turn, invited them to “Come away
by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” But the crowds
heard about their departure by boat and quickly went to the other
side of the Sea of Galilee so that they would arrive before Jesus
and the Twelve.
The passage quoted above reveals the internal reaction that Jesus
had toward the crowds as He and the Twelve disembarked from the
boat. Though they had attempted to go away together to a quiet
place for rest, the crowds were intent on being with them. Jesus,
of course, was not upset that the crowds had spoiled His attempt to
find some quiet time with the Twelve. Instead, His heart was moved
with compassion. He could see that the people were hungry for more
and were “like sheep without a shepherd.” For that reason, Jesus
immediately began to feed them with His teachings.
A helpful point to ponder in this passage is that the people who
gathered were described as a “vast crowd.” From the subsequent
passage in Mark’s Gospel, we learn that when Jesus finished
teaching them many things, He performed the miracle of the
multiplication of fish and bread and fed 5,000 men, not counting
the women and children. Given the fact that the estimated ratio at
that time of adult men to women and children was at least 5:1, the
crowd could have been as large as 25,000 people. For a spontaneous
gathering of people in a remote area by the Sea of Galilee, that is
a huge number. This is especially the case, since it is estimated
that there were only about 1,500 people living in Capernaum at that
time. People had flocked to our Lord from very far away.
This vast and spontaneous gathering reveals to us the hunger that
Jesus instilled in the hearts of very many people. Some of these
people had already heard Jesus speak and had witnessed His
miracles. Others were those to whom the Twelve had just preached in
the surrounding villages. The Twelve had spoken clearly and
convincingly by the power of the Holy Spirit about Jesus, and many
people responded, wanting to know more about our Lord.
As you ponder the enthusiasm of so many people, try to compare that
with your own enthusiasm for Jesus. Are you driven to seek Him out
with the same passion and zeal that consumed these first followers?
Or do you find that your zeal and enthusiasm are lacking at times?
This vast crowd, with their zeal and determination to seek out our
Lord, should be a source of inspiration and self-examination for us
all.
Reflect, today, upon this vast crowd. Try to see yourself joining
them. Ponder yourself being so moved by the preaching of the
Apostles that you become single-focused in your determination to be
fed by Jesus’ holy teaching. If it is hard to imagine yourself
acting this way, then humbly acknowledge that you may need more
zeal for Jesus in your life. Pray that these holy desires become
stirred up within you, and do all that you can to foster such
zeal.
My compassionate Lord, the vast crowds sought You out to listen
to You and to be fed by Your holy Word. They burned with a desire
to be with You, and You responded to them with great mercy. Please
fill my heart with the same zeal and desire for You. Teach me,
Lord, feed me and draw me close to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
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