Here Is a Boy

Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes - Bartolome Esteban Murillo

"I think you should," Miriam said to her younger brother Isaac.

"But mother gave this to us, to eat, should we become hungry."

Miriam, much like her mother, gave her brother what he considered the evil eye.  He hoped someday to be as wise as his sister.  Since their father's illness and death, Isaac was the only man in the family.  He was only nine, and didn't want the responsibility.

"What do you think, Sara," he said to his younger sister.

She shook her head.  As usual, she had no opinion.

"There are so many people," he commented.

Miriam placed a hand on his shoulder. "If others have brought food as well, this will be a picnic worthy of all the prophets."

"You would say something like that.  But what if these Barley loaves and fish are all?"

"Isaac, do as I say.  I am willing to go without, so is Sara.  Did you not listen to the words of this man?  Have you not heard the things our neighbors have said?  Now go.  See that man over there," she pointed to a burly man who should have been casting fishing nets into the sea. "He is one of his friends.  Go to him.  Tell him what you have."

Isaac got up from the ground.  Miriam was right.  She was always right.  Maybe someday he would make decisions with the same clarity as his sister.  He approached the burly man.  His beard was curly, as was the hair on his head.  Isaac was taken by the rippling muscles in the man's arms.  In a way, he reminded him of his father.  Those memories were vague.  Many years had passed since the time of death.

"Sir," he said, standing in the man's shadow.

"What is it boy?"

"This may not be much, but it's what me and my sisters have for our meal.  If it would help to feed crowds, I... we wish to give it."

The man smiled and gave a slight chuckle. "My name is Andrew.  What is your name?"

"Isaac.  My sisters are back there." Isaac pointed behind him.  The crowd was huge, but he could still see Miriam.

"Would you like to meet the teacher?" Andrew asked, remembering Jesus' earlier teachings about children and their place in God's kingdom.

Isaac looked back toward his sisters again. "Perhaps you could bring it to him."

"We will help you find your sisters again.  I am sure the teacher would like to meet a fine young man such as yourself."

Isaac clutched his basket of food and followed the burly man named Andrew.  When they reached the man who had been speaking to the crowds they stopped.  The teacher was sitting.  A few of his friends were gathered around him.  Some of them had great expressions of concern on their faces.

"Master," Isaac heard Andrew say, "here is a boy."

"Isaac met the eyes of the man Andrew had just called 'Master'.  He had never felt so at peace.

"He has five loaves of Barley bread," Andrew continued, "and two fish."

"But the crowds, Master," one of the others said, "there are too many."

The teacher looked at Andrew and the others, he said gently, "Have the people sit."

When the teacher's friends had moved out into the crowd, he asked Isaac to sit beside him. "Do you know who I am?" the teacher said.

Isaac shook his head.

"My friends call me Jesus.  You are my friend.  I saw you arrive earlier, with your sisters.  I believe their names are Miriam and Sara."

Isaac nodded, surprised that the man who had held the ear of all these people knew his sisters' names.

"You saw us?" Isaac asked.

"I know you, Isaac.  I knew you would offer to feed this crowd... with a little coaxing from your sister, of course.  My Father is in your heart.  Keep him there."

Jesus picked up the basket from the ground where it had been set.  He stood, closed his eyes and prayed.  Isaac watched from where he sat.  The others returned, after making the people sit, and filled empty baskets with the food overflowing from the one that contained five loaves and two fishes.  The bodies of Jesus' friends blocked the crowd, only those filling baskets were witnesses.

Jesus touched Isaac's shoulder again. He pointed out a clearing in the crowd.  In his hands, Jesus placed a few small fish and loaves, looking similar to the ones his mother had baked.

"Your sisters wait," the teacher said. "Go to them.  Share this food."

When reaching the place where Miriam stood, Isaac saw a smile on the face of his normally serious sister.  He handed her and Sara some of the food Jesus had given.

"I see," Miriam said, looking over the crowd gathered in the field. "It looks like others chose to do the same as you.  As mother would say, 'If everyone shares, none will go hungry'."

Isaac didn't comment.  He walked beside his two sisters, munching on a piece of bread, tasting just like his mother's, and wondering about such things as miracles.

copyright 2024 - Donald P James Jr
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