Christ, to the disciples: “Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up? … Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8: 14-21)
Recently I was struck by this Gospel at daily Mass. In this passage Jesus is calling his disciples to remember that they are provided for– not by the world’s means but by the Father. We forget so easily that He provides for us!
“Do you not remember?”
We distrust more than we seek to actively trust in our Father.
“Are your hearts hardened?”
We misunderstand the ways in which He wants to provide for us. Our own thoughts of what we should have in order to measure up to our standards are not always God’s desires for us or what we need.
“Do you still not understand?”
The truth is, we have been blessed in many ways throughout our lives, and we must try to remember these blessings often, however big or small.
I began this small mixed media study as a way of praying with this passage through visual, hands-on means. Using symbolism of the fish, loaves, and hands of surrender has helped me process Christ’s words to His disciples.These words still pierce hearts today, challenging each of us to examine ourselves more deeply. This study will potentially become a larger work in the near future, especially as I get into Lent.
