Although St. John devotes five entire chapters of his Gospel account to the events and discourses constituting the Last Supper, the Beloved Disciple has chosen decidedly to omit the drama of the institution of the Eucharist so pointedly recalled by Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and Paul in their writings. St. John however is not at all outdone by his fellow evangelists. The longest chapter in the Gospel account from St. John is his chapter six which is devoted entirely to a celebration and illumination of the place of the Eucharist in the Christian life. This coming Sunday’s Gospel passage recounts the popular events surrounding the multiplication of the loaves and fishes forming an introduction to St. John’s Eucharistic theology. The following summer Sunday Gospel readings will continue the many verses of chapter six (72 in all) highlighting and explaining the apostle’s understanding and appreciation of the role of the Eucharist in Catholic Church life.
Clearly linking his Eucharistic background to the traditional Paschal context found in the other Scripture writers, St. John is careful to note, “The Jewish feast of Passover was near.” And he will repeat this Paschal dimension when he later observes, “Now there was a great deal of grass in that place,” signaling the Palestinian springtime when the Jewish world would be observing Passover. So St. John and his fellow writers are all addressing the same salvific event: As the Passover with its unleavened bread released the Jews from Egyptian slavery, the new Bread of Life would free the Christian world from slavery to sin.
The other evangelists have the disciples approach Jesus to point out the need for food for the vast crowd. But in St. John’s Gospel account, it is Jesus who takes the initiative: “When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?’ (6:5).” St. John no doubt sees Jesus as the new Moses who also took the initiative in feeding the ancient Jews: “Where can I get meat to give to all these people? (Nm 11:13).” St. John will later continue this reference to Moses when he concludes his narrative by having the crowds acclaim Jesus as “the Prophet,” a title exclusively reserved for Moses among the ancient Jews: “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
While the other Gospel authors write only of “loaves,” St. John specifies “barley loaves,” the humblest of foods, connecting Jesus with Elisha who also fed the crowds with miraculous “barley loaves,” as this Sunday’s first reading reveals. Elisha’s generosity would be extravagant: “And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the LORD had said (2Kgs 4:44).” Jesus, too, is lavish with his kindness: “So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.”
It does not take much imagination for the Christian believer to understand a clear reference to the ceremonies effecting the Eucharist when these words from St. John are read: “Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining.” These are almost the exact words that lead into the consecration at every Catholic Mass today: “…he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples…” St. John’s reference is clear and deliberate. The miraculous multiplication of the loaves on the grassy countryside is a striking anticipation of the sacramental nourishment Christ would offer believers at the Church’s altars in every age.
The generosity of Christ is magnificently manifested through the abundance of bread dispensed to the massive crowd on the countryside. The psalmist in this Sunday’s response foresees the Savior’s nourishing generosity: “The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season.” Yet Jesus’ kindness extends beyond the surrounding multitude in Palestine. Jesus carefully instructs his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted (John 6:12).” Many see here a reference to the Church’s missionary activity. Jesus’ intention is to collect fragmented humanity worldwide so that all mankind may have an opportunity to be nourished on his saving Word and indeed on his own Body and Blood in the Eucharist. Christ’s words here anticipate the Church’s later words of Eucharistic consecration: “Take this, all of you, and eat of it…Take this, all of you, and drink from it…” “All of you” indeed! No one is to be wasted! Come to the feast!
