Page:Jesus of Nazareth the story of His life simply told (1917).djvu/245

 lightened to-day for having poured their heaviness into His!

But evening is drawing on and the Apostles think it is time to see about food and rest. The crowds have lost count of time, of distance from home, of everything but Jesus. But they cannot stay here for ever. They have had nothing to eat and will have a good two hours' walk before they can find shelter for the night. So the Twelve come to Jesus and say:

"This is a desert place and the hour is now past. Send them away, that going into the next villages and towns they may buy themselves meat to eat."

Jesus says to them: "They have no need to go, give you them to eat."

It was like Him to say that, but how can they provide for such a multitude?

"Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence," they say, "and we will give them to eat."

"How many loaves have you? He asks. "Go and see."

Andrew says to Him: "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what are these among so many?"

Jesus answers: "Bring them hither to Me."

See the boy being led by St. Andrew to our Lord; the pride and pleasure of the little fellow as he gives Him his loaves and his fishes; our Lord thanking him for them.

A great miracle is going to be wrought, the type of another still greater. It is a solemn moment, and our Lord will have all in order.

"Make the men sit down," He says to the Twelve.

They sit down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties, looking in their bright, many-coloured garments on the