Variety: Matthew 14v17

‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. Matthew 14:17

Some thoughts based on Richard Rohr’s thoughts…. 

The Gospel accounts include two traditions of open table fellowship: one of bread and wine, the other of bread and fish. The bread and fish stories emphasize surplus and outside guests. At the end of each event, there are seven or twelve baskets left over. That surplus seems to be a point of this form of table fellowship: there was plenty for all - the poor and then some.  [CHBC sharing lunch and sharing Garden tea seem to be in this tradition.] 

The bread and fish tradition contributes to issues of justice, community, and social reordering. We see this after the resurrection. In John 21:1–14, the apostles are out on the lake. They see Jesus on the shore, cooking fish at a charcoal fire. He invites them to come share bread and fish.   If we remember what happened after Jesus’ arrest, we see the significance of this charcoal fire. The only other charcoal fire in the Gospels is where Peter stood when he betrayed Jesus (John 18:18). Jesus invites him now to another charcoal fire, where they share the bread and the fish. He says, in effect, “Peter, it’s okay. Forget it.” At this second charcoal fire the risen Jesus initiates table fellowship with Peter, who just a few days before rejected, betrayed, and abandoned him in his hour of need. It seems the bread and fish meal also had a healing, reconciling significance.