This story is featured in a collection of Bible stories for kids called Take and Eat: Bible Stories for Kids about the Eucharist.
The news of Jesus’s miracles and teachings spread quickly throughout Judea. Large crowds began to follow him to hear what he had to say and see what he would do.
As you read this story, pay attention to what the disciples say and do before Jesus performs the miracle of multiplying the bread.
Jesus invited his apostles to spend some quiet time alone with him. “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest with me for a while,” he said.
So Jesus and his apostles went off to find a place for them to be alone. But a large crowd of people saw them leaving. They followed Jesus and his apostles.
When Jesus saw the many people following him, he felt compassion in his heart. “They are like sheep without a shepherd,” he said. He welcomed them and began to teach them and heal those that were sick.
The apostles, however, were still tired and hoping for that quiet time alone with Jesus. As the day grew late, they came to Jesus and said, “Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside to buy something for themselves to eat.”
Jesus smiled and said to his apostles, “You give them something to eat.”
The apostles looked upon the large crowd of people, numbering at least five thousand men and their families. “We do not have enough money to buy that much bread for them,” they said to Jesus.
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Go and see.”
The apostles went and found a young boy there who had food with him. They returned to Jesus and said, “There is a boy here who has five loaves of bread and two fish. But what are they among so many?”
“Have everyone sit down in groups of about fifty people,” Jesus instructed his apostles. They did so and returned to him.
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looked up to heaven. He blessed the bread and broke up the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the crowd.
The apostles traveled among the crowds of people, distributing the broken pieces of bread to the thousands of people there.
When they had finished, they gathered up what was left into twelve baskets of broken pieces of bread.
It was a miracle. With only five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus and the apostles fed thousands and thousands of people.
Reflection Questions
- What were the apostles worried about?
- What about this story reminds you of the way we celebrate the Eucharist at Mass?
- Jesus invited the apostles to go with him to find a deserted place to rest. When and where can you spend time with Jesus during your day?
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