NOTES:
1] Jesus makes a strategic withdrawal when he hears of John B's death (v.1-12). 2] There are many explanations (or explainings away) of the great feeding. 3] The essence of compassion (v.14) is being moved in your guts.

WARMING UP:  Have we ever had to stretch catering 'miraculously' in some situation?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

13         Have we ever experienced any kind of corporate 'retreat', religious or otherwise? Were there good outcomes we can identify, for us or someone else? Ever thought of taking time out & going aside somewhere by ourself to come to grips with God - & ourself? Ever done that? Or are those kinds of going apart only a last resort for the desperate - & we haven't reached that point yet? What kinds of things, people, pressures, & the like stop us going aside somewhere for quality time?

14         Have the days of mass-healings gone, except in some circles that 'specialise in' healing? How do we feel about their approach? If we are ill, do we have any expectation at all that 'Jesus will heal us'? How do we define 'heal'? Might Jesus have run out of compassion? Or does he just heal differently now?

15-19   Have we ever not known where our next meal was coming from, or when? How do we react today to those who are hungry a) in our own society? b) in countries where people seem to starve pretty regularly? Or is that none of our business? Beyond our resources? Is it more a matter of us i) not knowing how to, or, ii) being unwilling to, or, iii) not having enough compassion to share our 'five loaves & two fish' generously enough? Whose responsibility is it to feed the hungry? {Was it Mother Theresa who said, "To pray 'Give us this day our daily bread', and then not share it is blasphemy"?) What do we think of that? Do we see any significance for us in the fact that Jesus distributes the food he's blessed via the disciples? Can we see a connection between what's going on at that 'picnic' & what happens at the altar when we celebrate Eucharist?

20-21    What significance, if any, do we see in the fact that there were leftovers? Are we conscious of any generosity on God's part toward us? What about those who never seem to be on the receiving end of God's generosity? How come some people seem to miss out pretty comprehensively? How does God's generosity work, anyway? What triggers it? Who makes it happen at ground zero?