Gospel text (Luke 9,11b-17): The crowd caught up with Jesus in Bethsaida, He welcomed them and began speaking about the kingdom of God, curing those who needed healing. The day was drawing to a close and the Twelve drew near to tell him, «Send the crowd away and let them go into the villages and farms around, to find lodging and food, for we are here in a lonely place». But Jesus replied, «You yourselves give them something to eat». They answered, «We have only five loaves and two fish; do you want us to go and buy food enough for all this crowd?».
For there were about five thousand men. Then Jesus said to his disciples, «Make people sit down in groups of fifties». So they made all of them settle down. Jesus then took the five loaves and two fish, and raising his eyes to heaven, pronounced a blessing over them; he broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the crowd. They ate and everyone had enough; and when they gathered up what was left, twelve baskets were filled with broken pieces.
