Reflection Date: February 14, 2026 Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Daily Readings: 1 Kings 12:26-32, 13:33-34; Mark 8:1-10
Children of God: Many people do not realize that the gospels record two different stories of Jesus feeding a hungry crowd.
The more famous one is the feeding of the five thousand, which happened in Jewish territory and involved five loaves and two fish.
Less remembered is the feeding of the four thousand, which took place in a different setting and among largely Gentile listeners.
In the first story, twelve baskets were gathered, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. In the second, seven baskets were collected, a number often connected with the wider Gentile world.
The location of the five thousand was closer to Galilee, a familiar Jewish environment. The feeding of the four thousand happened in a more remote, mixed region.
Both stories are similar, yet they speak to different audiences.
One miracle spoke to Israel; the other reached beyond Israel.
Take note: this repetition itself is important. Jesus did not perform compassion only once. The setting shows that God’s mercy was never limited by geography or culture.
In the gospel story of where Jesus feed the 4,000, what inspirations can we get?
First, Jesus notices our need even when nobody notices it.
In the story, it was Jesus who first recognized the hunger of the crowd (Mark 8:2). The people themselves did not even complain.
Jesus cared not only about their spiritual hunger but also their physical weakness (Mark 8:3). He understood that faith and daily life cannot be separated.
Today, this invites us to develop sensitive hearts. We are called to notice those who are tired, hungry, struggling, or forgotten. Christian compassion begins with paying attention.
Second, Jesus multiplies what we offer, no matter how small it seems.
The disciples had only seven loaves and a few fish (Mark 8:5,7).
From a human perspective, it was clearly not enough. Yet Jesus worked with what was available.
The miracle did not happen out of nothing, but out of simple offerings placed in God’s hands (Mark 8:6).
God’s power used ordinary resources to create extraordinary abundance.
This challenges us to bring our little talents, time, and resources to God.
What matters is not the size of the gift but the generosity of the heart. God still multiplies simple acts of kindness even today.
Children of God: The gospel reminds us that God’s compassion is never a one-time event.
No crowd is too far, and no place is too remote for divine care.
We are invited to trust that what we offer can become more in God’s hands.
God’s generosity will not run out. The call is to believe and to offer what we have.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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