The Power of Faith

Gospel Reflection for the Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, May 2nd, 2025.

A few months ago, I was discussing miracles with a good friend. We were discussing today’s gospel of the feeding of the 5000—one of the few narratives mentioned in all four gospels—and I mentioned that it was popular among secular and liberal New Testament scholars to explain away the supernatural event in today’s narrative. My friend retorted, echoing his inner Flannery O’Connor, “If the feeding of the 5000 is nothing more than sharing, then to Hell with it!”

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.”

Some have argued that our late Pope Francis even attempted to argue away this miracle, though that isn’t quite what he said; in fact, I argue that what Pope Francis did say reflects an attempt to step into the mystery of the event. The Pope explains, “Jesus then takes those loaves and fish, looks up to heaven, recites the blessing — the reference to the Eucharist is clear — and breaks them and gives them to the disciples who distribute them... and the loaves and fish do not run out, they do not run out! This is the miracle: rather than a multiplication it is a sharing, inspired by faith and prayer. Everyone eats and some is left over: it is the sign of Jesus, the Bread of God for humanity.”¹

Pope Francis, Angelus, St. Peter’s Basilica

By textually examining the Gospels, Pope Francis is correct in the sense that there is no term of multiplication; instead, the miracle of multiplication occurs in the act of distribution. There is a twofold interpretation here that gives a more profound meaning to the miracle act:

1. It follows the synoptic tradition of “let it be done according to your faith.”

2. It challenges the secular New Testament scholars’ premise that no moral teachings occur during miracles and signs.

The above explanation aligns well with the Catholic tradition because it understands faith isn’t a noun—it is not a state of being, such as “I have faith.” The Catholic understanding of faith is more closely related to a verb because it moves twofold from the intellect to faith through revelation and acts of charity. The act of faith is when the intellect, moved by the will, assents to the articles of faith given to us by God through revelation—this opens up to the reality of the miracle, the supernatural act.

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• I wanted to add a clarifying comment to the reflection. I believe a miracle occurred with a miraculous feeding of the 5000, as explained in the narrative, in its plain reading. Perhaps, this is a self-reflection of myself, who has legitimately never witnessed a miracle—an act that breaks into the natural world.

• Why?

  • Jesus says the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain. So, following the synoptic tradition of the miraculous occurring as a result of faith, how much does the distributive act—the twofold movement of faith and charity—open us up to the supernatural?

1. Pope Francis, “Pope Francis, Angelus, 2 June 2013: St Peter’s Square Sunday, 2 June 2013,” Angelus, 2 June 2013 | Francis, June 2, 2013, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2013/documents/papa-francesco_angelus_20130602.html.