In St. Matthew's account of the feeding of the five thousand, we find not only a convincing proof of the omnipresence and ever-availability of infinite good, but also a valuable lesson concerning the alleged ability of the so-called material senses and their spurious evidence to blind us to the allness of God, good.
According to the narrative, Jesus had lovingly ministered to the spiritual needs of the multitude, and when it was evening the disciples suggested to him that he send the people "into the villages" to buy food for themselves. Whereupon Jesus, being richly endowed with the spiritual understanding of the infinite, never-failing substance and supply of divine Mind, replied to the disciples, in a spirit of loving admonition and command, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." But the disciples, like many today, had as yet very little understanding of the truth about substance and supply. Material sense, seeing only its own false, limited concept of supply, suggested the impossibility of their complying with Jesus' command; for they had "but five loaves, and two fishes" with which to feed so great a multitude of hungry people in a desert place. Jesus said, "Bring them hither to me." Then followed his beautiful demonstration of the omnipresence of divine Mind and its ideas, as real substance and supply, fully capable of meeting the human need and proving, to the joy and satisfaction of all present, that there was enough for all. For "they did all eat, and were filled."
In this inspiring demonstration, Jesus presented the only solution for all our seeming problems. He taught us at all times to look away from the lying evidence of the material senses "up to heaven," that is, to lift our thoughts to higher, spiritual realization of the infinitude of God, good, and to give thanks.
