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In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything
to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved
with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for
three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to
their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have
come a great distance.” Mark 8:1–3
Early in Jesus’ public ministry, He made a brief trip across the
Sea of Galilee to the territory of the Gerasenes—a largely Gentile
and pagan town on the outskirts of the Decapolis. This journey was
significant, as it demonstrated Jesus’ intention to extend His
mission beyond the boundaries of Jewish territory, foreshadowing
the universal scope of salvation that would later be fully realized
through the Church’s apostolic mission.
When Jesus arrived on shore in the territory of the Gerasenes, He
freed a man possessed by “Legion,” meaning many demons, and sent
the demons into a herd of two thousand swine, who drowned
themselves in the sea. Although this was the only recorded act
Jesus performed during that initial visit, it caused quite a
commotion. When the swineherds saw this, they ran and reported the
incident to the nearby town, and people came to see it for
themselves. Stunned by what had happened, they asked Jesus to
leave, and He did. However, “the man went off and began to proclaim
in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed”
(Mark 5:20).
That brief trip into the Gentile and pagan territory of the
Decapolis planted a seed. The loss of two thousand swine
undoubtedly affected the people, but it also planted the seed more
deeply. Which was more important: one man possessed by a legion of
demons or two thousand swine? Jesus’ actions reveal the answer. As
word spread of His miraculous deliverance and authority over
demons, many Gentiles became curious.
That brief miracle set the stage for today’s Gospel when Jesus
returned to the Decapolis to nurture the seed He had planted. Upon
His return, He cured a deaf and mute man, symbolizing the
importance of hearing and proclaiming the Gospel. Afterwards, Jesus
drew a great crowd, who remained with Him for three days despite
having no food.
After three days, Jesus revealed His compassionate heart to the
Twelve: “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they
have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.”
Jesus then tested the Twelve, observing, “If I send them away
hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of
them have come a great distance.” This situation should have been
familiar to the Twelve. Earlier in His ministry, while in Jewish
territory, Jesus had fed five thousand men with only five loaves
and two fish. But now they were in Gentile territory, and instead
of understanding that Jesus’ same providence extended to these
pagans, the disciples said to Him, “Where can anyone get enough
bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” Once again,
Jesus performed a miracle and fed four thousand.
Reflect today on the universality of Jesus’ mission. His
compassionate care transcended cultural and religious boundaries,
offering physical and spiritual nourishment to all who sought Him.
Jesus’ same mission continues today through us, the members of His
Body, the Church. We must never become self-enclosed in our own
communities of faith and family. Instead, we are called to go out
into the world, to the “pagan” regions where people hunger for
God’s Word. Sometimes our mission is to plant a seed; at other
times, it is to nurture the seed by helping it grow through the
grace of God, so that everyone may come to know and love Him.
Ultimately, the feeding of the five thousand Jews and four thousand
Gentiles points to the universal call for all to share in the
Eucharistic banquet. Learn the lesson Jesus taught the Twelve, and
imitate our Lord’s merciful heart, filled with compassion for those
who need Him the most.
My generous Lord, You desire all people to come to know You and
to be saved. Free me from any hesitancy or fear in sharing Your
saving Truth with those who need it most. Grant me the wisdom to
discern when to plant the seed, when to nurture it, and when to
harvest. Use me as Your instrument to draw others into the fullness
of life, where they may share in Your Eucharistic banquet of grace.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: New Skete: multiplication of loaves & fishes by Jim
Forest, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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