“13When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18He said, Bring them hither to me. 19And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.” (Matthew 14:13-21)
Jesus sails by boat to a desolate region on the northwestern banks of the Sea of Galilee, an area that is covered in tall vegetation and where fish mate in warm water flowing from the local springs. Jesus is met there by throngs of people eager to hear him preach. As the sun begins to set, the people become hungry. Jesus feeds all five thousand of them with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus allows his disciples to enjoy both the material and spiritual abundance that he can provide. Satisfaction is, first and foremost, a state of mind powered by faith. The most important value is to love and give to others unconditionally.
Blessings are multiplied when shared; by sharing, we truly change ourselves and the world for the better.
