September 3

Seventy Tuesday after Trinity

And His disciples answered Him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? S. Mark 8:4.

FIRST to prove His disciples our Lord points out the sadness of the case. The disciples, in answer, say just the same as any one of us would say in the like circumstances, "From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?" They looked at the outside of things, in the natural way, forgetting what themselves had seen, when, there being a still greater multitude, Jesus had fed them miraculously with five loaves and two fishes. We may think it strange that the disciples should forget this so soon, but is it not quite as strange that we should so soon and so often forget His tender providential mercies, so wonderfully shown to us in various ways, and begin to grumble and complain, mistrust Him and envy our brethren as soon as ever things go wrong, and we cannot see our way to amend them? Our Lord bid the disciples at once to put away their doubts, just asking them how many loaves they have, and when they said seven, commanding the people to sit down, and without more ado taking the loaves in His Hands, and blessing them, and beginning to distribute with as little fear of falling short as if there had been seven thousand instead of seven.

Not too anxious for to-morrow,

Not too careless of to-day,

Temperate in joy and sorrow,

Not so often grave as gay;

By no evil passions driven;

Envy, malice, bearing none;

On unkindness unforgiven

Never letting set the sun;

Grateful for whatever blessing

In its bounty Heaven has sent;

Ever happy in possessing

Quiet, competence, content.