When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.’ But he answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘How many loaves have you? Go and see.’ When they had found out, they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ (Mark 6: 35-38)

The disciples perceived the limitations of their time, place, and resource. The time was late. The place was deserted. The resources were meager.

Jesus was keenly aware of a potential that transcended time, place, and resource. For Jesus the greater reality was the abundance of God's intention.

Both the disciples and Jesus were realists. But the reality in which Jesus resided was not - yet - understood by his disciples. Nor - yet - fully by me.

Jesus had spent the day teaching many things. He realized the teachings had not been well understood. It was time for a demonstration.

Jesus might have asked himself, How can I show that God is here, that divine love is real, that the limitations you perceive are not the only reality?

Above is cover-art from That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis.