After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"
John 6:1–14 (RSV)
"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" It is a sensible question to ask when you are doing a mental tally of the crowd. Five loaves of cheap barley bread and two dried fish is hardly a meal for two, let alone a crowd of thousands.
Any task that stretches our abilities is daunting to us. We consider what we can do with what we have, compare it to what needs to be done, then wonder how we will begin. St. Andrew wasn't unfaithful. He could not imagine how what they had would be enough. He calculated that ⅔'s a year's wages would not even make a dent.
Jesus commands us to evangelize the world. Sharing the Good News is akin to feeding thousands with a little boy's lunch. We don't see how we can do it. We are overwhelmed, so we don't even begin.
Jesus took what was given to Him, five loaves and two fish, gave thanks, and fed the multitude. How He did it lies beyond me. That He did it is plain, for we hear of it again and again in Scripture. Jesus did what we could not imagine could be done.
Jesus feeds the thousands through His trust in the Father. He sends us in that same trust, that whatever the Father chooses to do will be done. We may feel as helpless as did St. Andrew did. We may look at our talents and see only how far short they fall.
Jesus has promised to be with us always, to the end of the age. He who fed a multitude can equip us to share the Good News. As St. Gabriel said to Mary, 'With God, nothing will be impossible.