We started talking yesterday about some lessons from the feeding of the big crowd. Here are the last two.

Third, Jesus fed courage and connection to the emotionally hungry, the disciples. I am more in awe of this than I am of the physical feeding.

Jesus heard the exhaustion behind the exuberance of the disciples. They have been on a long project. They needed to rest. Even though, and perhaps especially, because it had worked.

On this day of teaching, the disciples get to listen to Jesus, to remember what his voice sounds like. They get to rest in a safe place. They get to get out of the spotlight.

If I had to guess, I would guess that some of them dozed. After this wonderful but draining trip they had been on, they needed to stop.

In our excitement we need to recharge so we don’t start to live our lives on adrenaline. I’m guessing that for some of us, the best thing we need at the end of a week of staying on top of things, of being responsive, of caring for others . . . is a nap. And I’m pretty sure that Jesus would agree.

Finally, Jesus fed himself to the spiritually hungry. The idea of breaking bread sounds a lot like communion. The thread that is throughout this story is Jesus being with people. He spoke direction to his followers, truth to the people, healing to the sick. He was with the guys in the boat, with the crowd, with the boy who had food.

Jesus provided himself to the people on that day. And will provide himself to us. To give us life.