Jesus is the Giver of Life! The miracle that feeds the five thousand tells us that Jesus is the Bread of Life. We receive the Bread of Life through faith and sacrament. The Church Fathers relate this miracle to the Holy Eucharist. Following the invocation by Jesus, the disciples distribute the food to the people. The miracle of five loaves and two fish feeding five thousand plus people demonstrates the power of God to provide for all. It is after the Lord’s blessing, and by His Grace that we are allowed to partake of the Holy Gifts.
The Holy Mysteria are the means by which we are united with God. By partaking of the precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we become one with Him. When we gather to partake of the Holy Eucharist we become what God intended us to be: united to Him in faith and love, and through Him, to one another. It is in love, faith, and worship that we are truly stewards of the Church!
The local parish fulfills its true task and is a most genuine expression of the Church when its ministries and activities center on the heart of true Christian STEWARDSHIP expressed in faith, love, and worship. This is the ideal and the goal that each parish seeks to attain and every Orthodox Christian strives to accomplish.
In the miracle of the five loaves and two fish we also have the remaining baskets of food. This reminds us that none of God’s gifts should be lost or forgotten. Any time we offer a service of the Blessing of the Loaves (Artoklasia), we celebrate this miraculous event. We are reminded of the multitude of blessings we receive and that we have much to share through the Church.
Within the context of this miracle there are things that define Christian living. Not the least of which is setting aside and giving systematically a percentage or proportion of what we earn and receive on a regular basis. We may even give beyond our measured amounts in order to share our blessings with the Body of Christ.
See: Matthew 14:13-21; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14
To learn more, visit the Department of Stewardship.