Wednesday. [Acts 13:13–24; John 6:5–14]

   The disciples told the Lord to send the multitude away so they could buy themselves food in the villages; but the Lord said to them: They need not depart; give ye them to eat (Matt. 14:16). This preceded the miracle of feeding the five thousand people, beside women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Such an event, which had particular significance in the life of the Lord, offers also the following lesson. The multitude is an image of humanity, hungering and thirsting after the truth. When the Lord said to the apostles: give ye them to eat, by this He indicated in advance to them their future service to the human race—to feed it with the truth. The apostles did this for their times; in subsequent times they passed this service on to the pastorate which succeeded them. The Lord’s words extend to the present pastorate as well: Give ye them to eat. And the pastorate should keep this obligation in their conscience—to feed the people with the truth. In church there should be unceasing preaching of the word of God. What sort of pastors are silent pastors? And yet they are often silent—silent beyond measure. But it is impossible to say that this has occurred because there is no faith in their heart. It is just their misunderstanding, a bad habit. Nevertheless, this is no justification.