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GOSPEL Mark 6:1-21
Feeding the Five Thousand
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the  Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, 'Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?'He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, 'Six months'wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.'One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 'There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?'Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down.'Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, 'Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.'So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, 'This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.'
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on the Water
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, 'It is I; do not be afraid.'Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.
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Our pericope now turns to the feeding of the five thousand and reads from John, as it will for five weeks following the Bread of Life theme of chapter 6. This miracle in John opens the second ministry section of the Gospel. The first began at chapter two with the miracle story at Cana. Both miracles are stories of God's abundance and both illustrate the glory of God. Since there are four more weeks to explore the implications of this story, I am going to do something less traditional with it here, in an attempt to connect it transitionally with some of the themes of Mark that we have been reading for the last few weeks.
Last week (Mark 6:33-34), Jesus saw the crowds (the world?) as sheep without a shepherd. Psychologist, Abraham Maslow wrote about psychological health as meeting a hierarchy of needs. He said that for a self to be whole or healthy, that person's basic human needs have to be met. The most basic needs are physiological-food, clothing, etc. Next come safety needs-protection from danger, shelter, etc. Only after these needs are met can needs for belonging and love be addressed. Then, Maslow says, the need for purpose, recognition, and esteem come next. Finally are needs for self-actualization.
According to Maslow's theory, the lower needs -- at the bottom of the list -- have to be met before one can move up the hierarchy. People who don't have food spend all their time trying to fill their empty stomachs. They don't have the energy to be too concerned their self-esteem. They are hungry. They need food. That's what's important. People who have enough to eat, but are always afraid, who don't feel safe, will have a difficult time moving up the chart. Abusive parents or spouses stunt emotional growth. The fear of bullies at school or at work can stunt emotional growth. Jesus has compassion on the crowd. He loves them. He loves us. That leads us to the next level. The church has to proclaim the love of Jesus for the world. When we know that we are loved by the Other, then we may be able to love ourselves - our esteem needs.
Once these needs have been met, disciples are ready to be self-actualized apostles carrying the message of God's saving, healing, forgiving love into the world. This is a lot of psychology, but I think that it is also scriptural.
What does the flock look like when it has a shepherd, especially the good shepherd? They are invited to sit on the green grass (pastures) and be fed when they are hungry. Jesus approaches the boat of followers and the wind dies down and the boat reaches its destination safely. (He leads me beside still waters or yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I fear no evil) The crowds are met with compassion and he teaches them many things (he leads me in right pathways). He entrusts the disciples with message and Spirit and the kingdom shines forth (surely I will dwell in the house of the Lord).
Whether it is through the eyes of Maslow, the psychologist, or David, the psalmist, or Mark and John, the Good News tellers, or Jesus the messiah, we see a God whose purpose is to transform the whole world by the power of love. God does that by approaching us and interacting with us so we become the full beings of God's intent and the full partners of God's work.
My thanks and apologies to Brian Stoffregen whose work a few years ago in exegesis provided some of the creative connections between Maslow's hierarchy and the twenty-third psalm.
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