dicentes: "Desertus est locusing: This is a desert place, and et hora jàm præteriit: dimitte turbas, ut euntes in castella emant sibi escas." the hour is now past: 'send away the multitudes, that going into the town, they may buy themselves victuals. 16. JESUS autem dixit eis: "Non habent necesse ire: date illis vos manducare." 17. Responderunt ei: "Non habemus hic nisi quinque panes et duos pisces." 18. Qui ait eis: "Afferte mihi illos hùc." 19. Et cùm jussisset turbam discumbere super foenum, acceptis quinque panibus et duobus piscibus, aspiciens in cœlum benedixit, et fregit et dedit discipulis panes, discipuli autem turbis. 20. Et manducaverunt omnes, et saturati sunt. Et tulerunt reliquias, duodecim cophinos fragmentorum plenos. 21. Manducantium autem fuit numerus quinque millia virorum, exceptis mulieribus et parvulis. 16. But Jesus said to them: They have no need to go: give you them to eat. 17. They answered him: "We have here but five loaves and two fishes. 18. He said to them: Bring them hither to me. 19. And when they had commanded the multitude to sit down upon the grass, he 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 multitudes. 20. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, "twelve baskets full of fragments. 21. And the number of them that had eaten was 'five thousand men, besides women and children. The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is a miracle which even a Rationalist does not know how to explain. It is a plain genuine fact, and could be done only by Almighty power. Some writers remark that he gave them no wine (this is not stated in the text one way or other), because the water was near them. To be sure he only intended to stave off hunger; but then the bread is supposed to have been of the best description (like the new wine in Cana), and it was given abundantly as the baskets of fragments testify. In the Gospel of S. John, chap. vi., we shall have more to say about the results of this beneficent action in the desert. 1Came and told Jesus.-The disciples of John did this. 2He retired. It is supposed that he did this in order to evade the effects of Herod's curiosity, because his hour was not yet come. Send away the multitudes.-Our Lord crossed an arm of the lake or inland sea, and the people went round by the shore. They were there before him it seems. We have here but five loaves and two fishes.-The other Evangelists give more detailed accounts of the conversations. "Looking up to heaven.-The same ceremony was used in the Last Supper. This miracle was a preparation for the revelation of the Eucharist. "Twelve baskets.-These would contain about five loaves each-just what the boy carried-so that somewhat more than sixty loaves remained, as crumbs and broken bread fill up better than loaves. "Five thousand men, besides, etc.-As women are curious to see a new prophet, some think there were more women than men. Others think the journey was too far. The Jewish writers do not notice women in genealogies and assemblies, but it may be fairly supposed that our Lord fed at least twelve thousand on this occasion. 22. Et statim compulit JESUS | discipulos ascendere in naviculam et præcedere eum trans fretum donec dimitteret turbas. 23. Et, dimissâ turbâ, ascendit in montem solus orare. Vespere autem facto, solus erat ibì. 24. Navicula autem in medio mari jactabatur fluctibus: erat enim contrarius ventus. 25. Quartâ autem vigiliâ noctis, venit ad eos ambulans super mare. 26. Et videntes eum super mare ambulantem, turbati sunt, dicentes quia phantasma est. Et præ timore clamaverunt. 27. Statimque JESUS locutus est eis, dicens: "Habete fiduciam ego sum, nolite timere." 28. Respondens autem Petrus dixit: "Domine, si tu es, jube me ad te venire super aquas." 29. At ipse ait: "Veni." Et descendens Petrus de naviculâ, ambulabat super aquam ut veniret ad JESUM. 30. Videns verò ventum validum, timuit, et, cùm cœpisset mergi, clamavit dicens: "Domine, salvum me fac!" 22. And forthwith Jesus 'obliged his disciples to get up into the ship, and to go before him over the water, while he sent the multitude away. 23. And when he had dismissed the multitude, he went up into a mountain alone to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24. But the ship in the 'midst of the sea was tossed with the waves for the wind was contrary. 25. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them 'walking upon the sea. 26. And when they saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying: It is an ap parition. And they cried out for fear. 27. And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I; be not afraid. 28. And Peter making answer said: Lord, "if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. 29. And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the ship, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. 30. But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me. In this miracle one should expect to be free from the cavilings of Rationalists. One of them thinks Christ walked upon the shore. What a wonderful thing! Was it a bog, and did Peter soil his feet when he began to sink? Five or six of them accuse Peter of rashness. They might have some colour for their bog if he had not been rash. Our Lord does not easily grant rash requests. With regard to the watches. The Jews divided the night into three of four hours each, and the Romans into four of three hours. Sailors keep watches of four hours yet. Considering the latitude of Palestine, between 31 and 33 N.L., not 10 degrees from the tropic of Cancer, there could not be much difference between the length of the day and night, even in winter. 1Obliged. The Apostles did not like to leave Him, they preferred to be in His company; hence He had to compel them in a friendly way. Evening. The other evening, verse 15, mostly used for afternoon or when the sun began to decline. 3Midst of the sea.-Others have it some furlongs from the land. This does not agree very well with the shore-men. 'Walking upon the sea.-He could endow his body with the gifts of the glorified when he chose. The fourth watch, 3 a.m. "An apparition.-The Apostles believed in ghosts evidently and it does not appear that that belief was ever discountenanced. If it be thou.-Peter did not doubt, but made it a condition of his own walking. He would not walk or try to walk for any ghost. 'Was afraid.-Peter walked first and then got frightened when he saw the waves. As soon as he began to fear he began to sink. How beautifully he was taught the power of unhesitating faith! There were five miracles here: 1. Our Lord walking on the sea. 2. Peter's walking on it. 3. Peter raised when sinking. 4. The storm suddenly ceased. 5. They arrive at land almost immediately. When Our Lord leaves a soul in aridity it is for its good. It learns : Ist. How little it can do without Him. 2nd. To appreciate His return. 3rd. He is always at hand in danger. Peter shows: Ist. A childlike curiosity of a laudable kind. 2nd. His confidence in Our Lord. 3rd. How that was not misplaced. |