The Feeding of Four Thousand.

1In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, he summoned the disciples and said,2“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.3If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.”4His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”5Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied.6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd.7They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also.8They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets.9There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed them10and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Demand for a Sign.

11 The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”13Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

The Leaven of the Pharisees.14

 They had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.1  He enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”16They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread.17When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember 19when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.”20“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered [him], “Seven.”21He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Go here to read my comments and reflections for the day.