During Lent, we remember the events that led up to the crucifixion. Jesus had come to bring hope and light to the world, but at every step there were those who could not accept the power of the light. He came to meet the people's needs, but there were those who misunderstood the kind of needs that Jesus meant to fill. Because he would not do what they wanted, they rejected him.
According to John, Jesus was teaching a large crowd who had followed him because they had seen his miracles of healing the sick. Jesus saw the large crowd of more than 5,000 men, and asked Philip, "Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?"
Philip knew that they didn't have enough money to buy even a small amount for everyone. But Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said, "There is a small boy who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish, but they will certainly not be enough to feed all these people."
Jesus had the people sit, and then took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people. He did the same with the fish. Everyone had as much as they wanted, and when the disciples gathered what was left, they filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the barley loaves.
Seeing this miracle that Jesus had performed, the people there said, "Surely this is the Prophet who was to come into the world! " Jesus could sense that they were about to make him king by force, so he went off again to the bills to be by himself.
Jesus came into the world to change it, not to be made to fit into some mold that others felt was right. When Jesus refused to be what others wanted, they turned their backs on him, and a little of the light that had come into the world was put out.
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