The two passages and the psalm for today deal the feeding of God's people. The Gospel passage clearly foreshadows the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.

However, we need to take particular note in these passages of the ingratitude and disobedience of the followers of Moses and the compassion of God mentioned in Numbers, and that of Jesus in the Gospel passage.

Moses is driven to desperation by the ungrateful people. He complains to God, "I am not able to carry this nation by myself alone" (Num. 11:14). He says this out of frustration with the people, yet he is totally confident that what he cannot deal with, God can. And God does. We are told later that He provided them with quails.

This confidence in the compassion of God we see yet again in Matthew's Gospel. Here again, Jesus' feeding of the multitudes reveals the same ability and willingness to show compassion. Jesus, far greater than Moses, "carries this nation" alone. In showing us this, Matthew focuses on the breaking and distribution of bread. He shows too, the disciples' role as distributors of the bread. This relates to the later account of the institution of the Eucharist and the appointing of the disciples as His ministers.

Moses is given manna to feed his followers. We are given the Sacrament of the Eucharist, our spiritual food on our journey to the Promised Land.