Chapter 17

The Big Fisherman immediately took command. In his self-confident, booming voice he directed them to sit as closely together as possible in semicircular rows facing the dune where the Master and his companions waited. Not until the last of the stragglers had arrived did Jesus rise to speak. A hush fell on the expectant multitude as his gentle voice began its ministry of comfort.

He beheld them, he said, as one great family of brothers and sisters who, weary and heavy-laden, had come to him for rest. Not strangers now, but men and women of one blood, all children of their Father in Heaven; not drawn together by any hot desire for revenge or redress but related by their mutual compassion…And as the quiet voice continued a strange miracle was wrought that gave them a heart-warming sensation of kinship.

By the time his talk had ended, the shadows were lengthening on the eastern mountains. Released from the spell that had held them silent and motionless, the crowd straightened its relaxed spine, drew a long breath, and shifted its posture. What now? Should they go? They were hungry. On any other occasion, those who had been foresighted enough to bring their own food would have had no hesitation at all to eat it in the presence of others as hungry as themselves. But, though many a man silently inspected his neighbour out of the tail of his eye, nobody reached in his pocket.

There was a whispered colloquy among the Master’s companions. They called him into conference with them, the expression on their sober faces indicating that they were troubled. Jesus did not seem worried over the situation.

‘Feed them!’ he said.

‘With what?’ they inquired. ‘Even if we had the money to buy that much food, there is no place out here where it could be had.’

By now the crowd was craning its neck and listening sharply with its good ear. A small boy, overhearing the discussion, came forward and handed his small lunch-basket to the Master, who thanked him; and, holding up the basket, addressed the people.

‘We will now have our supper,’ he said.

Everybody laughed. It was the first time anyone had laughed today. But Jesus did not think it was funny. He held up his hand for silence, bowed his head, and prayed, thanking God for this food and for the kind heart of the generous child who wanted to share what he had with his neighbours. Then, breaking up the lad’s five little loaves and his two fishes into tiny morsels, he told his companions to distribute the food among the people.

With sheepish grins, the men and women who had provided for themselves tugged their parcels out of their pockets and passed them down the row…It had turned out to be a day of marvels!

Presently the crowd began to thin out. The afternoon was far advanced and the northern sky was darkening. The people seemed anxious to be on their way.

Andrew, turning to Bartholomew, remarked confidentially, ‘I think I know now why the Master brought us over here.’

‘You’re right, Andy,’ said the shrewd old man. ‘He knew the crowd would follow, and he wanted to give those hot-heads a chance to cool off.’

‘And think about something else besides their hatred of Antipas,’ added Andrew. ‘Well—they were cooled off by the time they got here—no doubt about that!’

‘Yes’—Bartholomew pointed toward the menacing cloud—’and they’ll be cooled off a little more before they reach Capernaum.’

The old man’s prediction was correct. It was hard travelling along the shore-line. And it was the roughest night that anybody could remember on the lake. The Sara all but capsized.

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