NOTES for Mat 14:13-21
Christ rejects none of those who rush toward Him. Moreover, Christ does not even require that those who come to Him already understand the meaning of His coming. He sees perfectly well that people are asking for the satisfaction of everyday needs. But the fact that the people are ready to follow Him even into the wilderness says that those who listen are ready to receive from Him something greater than relief in the conditions of earthly existence. Thus the spiritual path leading to the heavenly goal begins with something small and earthly.
Let us note that all this takes place in anxious days shortly after John's execution, when it was unclear what to expect from Herod. Christ's desire in those days to be alone is entirely natural; it is a distant echo of the solitude in Gethsemane. But this time a crowd rushed after Christ, which increased the risk of provocations from both Herod and the Romans.
Yet, despite all the dangers, Jesus drives no one away. Moreover, on His own initiative He heals the sick. The evangelist notes that He had compassion on them. Let us add only that He came to us and went up to Golgotha because He had compassion on all of us.
Caring for the people, Christ does not want to send them into the nearby villages for food. Just try to imagine what might have happened if hungry crowds, with night approaching, had rushed out for bread... So He delivered people not only from hunger, but also from many other troubles, when He proposed that the apostles feed them. He could have created some kind of food Himself, but it is important to Him that the disciples take part in this. Let us note that after blessing it, He broke the bread found by the disciples and gave it specifically to the disciples, and they gave it to the people.
It is hardly accidental that the evangelist notes that before the meal began Jesus looked up to heaven. His blessing of the bread, eaten before the face of the Heavenly Father, makes us remember the Eucharist, the fact that at the Last Supper He will call the bread His Body. There is a suggestion that at the multiplication the bread was passed from hand to hand as was customary at a Jewish meal. The one seated at the head of the meal would break off a piece from a large loaf and give both parts to his neighbor; that person would take the small piece and, breaking off another for the next person, would pass it on together with the large loaf. In that case the loaves were multiplied in the hands of those who ate, and everyone became a participant in the miracle. So too the Lord wants to see us as His coworkers.