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Chapter 34MedVC.1.34

De multiplicatione panum, et quomodo se diligentibus subvenit

Gathering the Miracle into One Meditation

The chapter opens by inviting the reader to unite the two Gospel accounts of the multiplication of the loaves into a single meditation, focusing on Christ's compassion, his concern that the crowd not faint on the way, the resulting abundance, and the virtues of mercy, attentiveness, and discretion displayed in his words.

On two occasions we read that the gracious Lord multiplied a few loaves and from there saved many thousands of people. Now gather this into a single meditation, and in it consider his words and deeds.✦ For he said at that time: I have compassion on the crowd, because look—they have already been with me for three days.✦✦ They are following me and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away hungry, they will faint on the way—for some of them have come from a great distance.✦✦ And afterward he multiplied the loaves, so that everyone ate and had more than enough.✦ Consider, then, here these pure and good things, and especially how the Lord Jesus was merciful, attentive, and gracious, and how he was discreet and circumspect. First, then, consider that he was merciful, because mercy drew him to come to their aid; and so he says: I have compassion on the crowd.✦ For his mercy fills the earth.✦ Secondly, he was attentive and gracious, for the reason he gives: Look, he says, they have already been with me for three days.✦

The Courtesy and Hidden Generosity of Christ

Christ is shown treating the crowd's presence as though it were a favor to him rather than from him, and the meditation turns inward to show how those who follow him and keep his precepts receive his continual help, since without him we have no spiritual food and cannot sustain ourselves.

Notice the courtesy and the great, wonderful graciousness of his play. He speaks as though it were a favor he had received from them, when in truth it was for their good, not his own. And so it is that where he says, 'His delights are to be with the children of men,' no good accrues to himself—salvation comes to us.✦ But those who follow him and keep his precepts and admonitions, the Lord loves, and he does not close his hand against them, so that he may help them whenever it is beneficial to them. Thirdly, he was discreet and circumspect, because he considered their need and weakness, how they might fail, and how some of them had come from far away. You see, then, how rich in flavor and how honey-sweet those words were. So it happens to us spiritually every day. We have nothing to eat unless he himself gives it, and we fail along the way if he sends us away fasting; without him we cannot provide for ourselves in any spiritual matter.✦

Humility Born of Light and Self-Knowledge

The meditation warns against pride in spiritual gifts, observing that the holier a person becomes the more humble, because closeness to God brings true enlightenment and self-knowledge that leave no room for vainglory, especially for those who know the long road back from sin.

So let's not take pride in any material advantage, when we receive some consolation from the hand of the Lord, or when we perceive some spiritual progress — because it doesn't come from us, but from him. And so if we pay close attention, the more advanced the servants of God have become, and the closer to God — the more excellent in his gifts — the more humble you'll see them to be: because they attribute nothing to themselves except their sins and failings. And the more closely anyone draws near to him, the more fully he is enlightened: and therefore — [the text breaks off here with editorial apparatus references: Gloss, in G, and Psal.] . [xxii, o.] And he sees mercy more clearly; and so in him there can be no room for pride or vainglory, which proceed from the blindness of ignorance. For no one who truly knew God and examined himself could possibly be proud. It's also a long road by which we come to God — and I speak especially about myself and those like me, who have departed into so distant a land from him on account of our sins.

Christ Feeds the Crowd and Mary Serves

After the teaching on humility, the text returns to the miracle itself, inviting the reader to watch Christ take the loaves, give thanks, distribute them through the disciples, and delight in the crowd's joy, while imagining the quiet service of our Lady and commending the whole scene to personal meditation.

Anyone who returns to him, then, is said to come from a long road. After the words, then, Christ followed with deeds. Watch him, then: how he took those loaves, gave thanks to the Father, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd — and in their hands he multiplied the bread so that everyone could eat as much as they wished, and plenty of fragments were left over.✦ Notice too how he watches them eat, and how he delights in their joy. See them too: how they marvel at this miracle, how they rejoice together talking about it with one another, and how as they eat with thanksgiving — not only bodily, but at least some of them perhaps receiving spiritual refreshment as well. But surely our Lady was there too — wouldn't she have gladly handed out the loaves to the women and rejoiced in their refreshment? Scripture doesn't say. But you — meditate on it as the Lord gives you grace.

Read the original Latin

De duabus vicibus * legilur, quod benignus Dominus muUiplicavit paucos panes, et inde muUa milUa hominum saUavit Tu autcm redige in unam meditationem, et in ca considera verba et facta ipsius. Dixit enim tunc: Misereor super turbam, quia ecce jam triduo susti? ient me, nec habent quod manducent; et si dimisero eos jejunos, deficient in via: quidam enim ex eis de longevenerunt. Et postea panes multipUcavit, ita quod omncs comederunt abundanter. Considera ergo hic pUira et bona, et speciaUter quomodo Dominus Jesus erat misericors, et curiaUs, et gratus, quomodo discrelus et circumspectus. Primo ergo considera, quod erat misericors, quia misericordia traxit eum ab subveniendum iUis, et ideo dicit: Misereor super turbam. Nam et * misericordia ejus plena est terra. Secundo erat curiaUs et gratus ex causa quam assignat: Quia ecce, inquit, jam triduo susiinent me.

Vide curiaUtatem et gratiludinem magnam ac mirabilem. Nam quasi pro beneficio ab eis recepto sic loquitur, cum in veritate ipsorum bonum esset, et non suum. Sed sic est, ut aUbi dicit "^: Delicice suae sunt esse cum flliis hominim, cum sibi niliil boni accrescat, nobis autem proveniat saUis. lUos autem qui eum sequuntur, et praecepta et monitiones ejus custodiunt, diUgit Dominus, nec manum suam eis claudit, quin subveniat, cum expedit eis. Tertio discretus et circumspeclus fuit, eo quod considerabat eorum indigenUam et impotentiam, quaUter deficere poterant, et quaUler aUqui eorum de longe venerunt. Vides ergo quam sapida, et quam meUiflua ista verba fuerunt. Sic quoUdie nobis spirituaUter contingit. Non enim habemus quid manducemus, nisi ipse det: et in via deficimus, si nos jejunos dimitUt: et sine ipso non possumus nobis in aliquo spirituali negotio providere.

Non ergo habeamus elaUonis materiara, cum de manu Domini aUquam consolaUonem percipimus, vel cum aUquem profectum spirituaUs exerciUi senUmus; quia non a nobis, sed ab ipso est. Et ideo si bene attendimus, quanto profecUores fuerint servi Dei, et Deo propinquiores, in donis ejus exceUenUores, tanto humiUores videbis: quia nihil sibi attribuunt nisi peccata et defectus. Et quanto quis ei magis appropinquat, tanto est ampUus illuminatus: et ideo Dei magnificen> Gloss, in G et " Psal. . \xxii, o. tiam et misericordiam clarius videt; et sic in eo locum habere non potest superbia, vel vana gloria, quae ex ignorantiae caecitate procedunt. Non enim qui Deum vel se bene cognosceret et examinaret, superbire posset. Est etiam longa via, qua ad Deum venimus, et specialiter de me et mei similibus loquor, qui in tam longam regionem ab eo discessimus propter peccata.

Ad eum ergo rediens quis dicitur de longa via venire. Post verba ergo dicta, fecit Christus facta. Conspice ergo eum, qualiter illos panes accipiens, et Patri gratias agens, dedit discipulis, ut apponerent turbae, et in manibus eorum ista multiplicavit, ut omnes pro suo libito comederent, et multa supererant fragmenta. Considera etiam, qualiter aspicit illos comedere, et in jucunditate eorum laetatur. Conspice etiam illos, qualiter super illo miraculo mirantur, et unus ad alterum inde loquendo laetantur, et cum gratiarum actione manducaut non solum corporaliter, sed saltem aliqui ex ipsis mentaliter forte refectionem percipientes. Sed numquid fuit ibi Domina nostra, ut et ipsa de panibus libenter mulieribus porrigeret, et de ipsarum recreatione gauderet? Scriptura de hoc non loquitur. Tu autem meditare, prout Dominus tibi donat

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Matt.14.13-Matt.14.21;Matt.15.32-Matt.15.39;Mark.6.30-Mark.6.44;Mark.8.1-Mark.8.10;Luke.9.10-Luke.9.17;John.6.1-John.6.14 — When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself; and when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. Matt.14.14 — And when he came out, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, and he healed their sick. Matt.14.15 — When evening had come, the disciples came to him, saying, "This is a desolate place, and the hour has already passed. Send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Matt.14.16 — But Jesus said to them, "They have no need to go away. You give them something to eat." Matt.14.17 — But they said to him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Matt.14.18 — He said, "Bring them here to me." Matt.14.19 — And he directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Matt.14.20 — And they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the leftover pieces—twelve baskets full. Matt.14.21 — Those who were eating were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way. Matt.15.33 — And his disciples said to him, "Where in the wilderness are we to get enough bread to feed so great a crowd?" Matt.15.34 — Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Matt.15.35 — And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Matt.15.36 — And he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Matt.15.37 — And they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up what was left over from the broken pieces: seven full baskets. Matt.15.38 — Now those who were eating were four thousand men, besides women and children. Matt.15.39 — And after he had dismissed the crowds, he got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan. Mark.6.30 — The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and all they had taught. Mark.6.31 — And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a little while.' For many were coming and going, and they did not even have opportunity to eat. Mark.6.32 — And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Mark.6.33 — And many saw them going and recognized them, and from all the cities they ran there together on foot and arrived ahead of them. Mark.6.34 — And when he came out, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. Mark.6.35 — And when the hour had already grown late, his disciples came to him and said, "This place is desolate, and the hour is already late." Mark.6.36 — Send them away, so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. Mark.6.37 — But he answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they say to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" Mark.6.38 — He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." Mark.6.39 — And he commanded them to make all sit down in groups on the green grass. Mark.6.40 — And they sat down group by group, in hundreds and in fifties. Mark.6.41 — And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all. Mark.6.42 — And they all ate and were satisfied. Mark.6.43 — And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces, and of the fish. Mark.6.44 — And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Mark.8.1 — In those days, when a great crowd had gathered again and had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples and said to them, Mark.8.2 — I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. Mark.8.3 — "If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come from a long distance." Mark.8.4 — His disciples answered him, 'How can anyone satisfy these people with bread here in this desolate place?' Mark.8.5 — And he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven." Mark.8.6 — And he commands the crowd to sit down on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before them, and they set them before the crowd. Mark.8.7 — They also had a few small fish, and having blessed them, he said that these too were to be served. Mark.8.8 — And they ate and were satisfied, and they took up seven baskets of leftover pieces. Mark.8.9 — And there were about four thousand, and he sent them away. Mark.8.10 — And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha. Luke.9.10 — When the apostles returned, they told him all that they had done. And taking them along, he withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. Luke.9.11 — But the crowds, having found out, followed him; and having welcomed them, he spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and those who had need of healing he healed. Luke.9.12 — Now the day began to decline, and the twelve came to him and said, 'Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging, because we are in a desolate place here.' Luke.9.13 — But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people." Luke.9.14 — For there were about five thousand men. Then he said to his disciples, 'Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.' Luke.9.15 — And they did so, and made them all sit down. Luke.9.16 — Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. Luke.9.17 — They all ate and were satisfied, and the broken pieces that were left over were gathered up—twelve baskets full. John.6.1 — After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. John.6.2 — And a great crowd was following him, because they were seeing the signs that he was doing on the sick. John.6.3 — Jesus went up the mountain and sat there with his disciples. John.6.4 — Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. John.6.5 — When Jesus then lifted up his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?" John.6.6 — But he said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was about to do. John.6.7 — Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, so that each one might receive a little." John.6.8 — One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, John.6.9 — There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many? John.6.10 — Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. John.6.11 — Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted. John.6.12 — When they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing may be lost." John.6.13 — So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves that remained over from those who had eaten. John.6.14 — When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."
  2. ↩Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.
  3. ↩Mark.8.2-Mark.8.3 — I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. Mark.8.3 — "If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come from a long distance."
  4. ↩Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.
  5. ↩Mark.8.3 — "If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come from a long distance."
  6. ↩Matt.14.20;Mark.6.42;Luke.9.17;John.6.12-John.6.13 — And they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the leftover pieces—twelve baskets full. Mark.6.42 — And they all ate and were satisfied. Luke.9.17 — They all ate and were satisfied, and the broken pieces that were left over were gathered up—twelve baskets full. John.6.12 — When they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing may be lost." John.6.13 — So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves that remained over from those who had eaten.
  7. ↩Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.
  8. ↩Ps.32.5;Ps.34.5 — I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Ps.34.5 — I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
  9. ↩Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.
  10. ↩Prov.8.31 — rejoicing in his inhabited earth, and my delight is with the children of man
  11. ↩Mark.8.3;Matt.15.32 — "If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come from a long distance." Matt.15.32 — Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.
  12. ↩John.6.11 — Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion

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