I am still looking at John 6:1-15, the Feeding of the Five Thousand. What has struck me today is the difference between Philip and Andrew, two saints, two apostles, in their response to the Lord. Philip states,
"Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." He is the rationalist. He is the pragmatic one, the manager and organizer type who wants to figure out a way to deal with the problem with money and logistics.
Now, in itself, these traits are good and necessary, but Christ wants a different response. He wants pure trust and pure charity, that is love for Him as God.
Andrew is not quite so mathematical. He finds a boy, who has very little to offer. But, I think Andrew is showing faith in Christ's ablility to do something with little. He has not dismissed the problem as Philip has done. Here is what Andrew says: "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" Andrew has responded more in faith than Philip, but not yet enough, as he adds, "what are they among so many"? His first instinct is to find food and present it to Christ. That is good, but then Andrew pulls back into the doubt which he expresses.
John is watching all of this and with his amazing mind and charity for Christ, he notes mentally all the details.
He watches, he waits, he notes. He is like Mary. He trusts that the Son of God will do something.
