Give them something yourselves
In the gospel, the disciples encourage Jesus to send the crowds away to find food for themselves. Jesus tells the disciples, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” This is a challenge and a test of the disciples – a chance for them to be like Jesus. He calls them to act with compassion and do what he would do to feed the people. But the disciples fail to grasp either his meaning or the opportunity and the miracle is left to Jesus. Jesus believed that they could feed the people if they tried but the disciples didn’t have that same faith in themselves.
