We enter what we call the “section of the loaves” in Mark. The liturgy then, in the coming Sundays, will make us abandon his story to introduce us (actually quite abruptly) into the Gospel of John. It is therefore worthwhile to linger a few moments to observe how Marck builds this section. It opens with the gaze of Jesus, who, “saw a great crowd, took pity on them, for they were like sheep that have no shepherd” (v. 34). It will then conclude, in the eighth chapter, with the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida, who “was healed and from a distance saw everything clearly” (8:25). At the beginning we have the gaze of Jesus, full of compassion; in the end, the healed look of the blind man. In fact, seeing means entering into the depth of the gaze of Jesus, who knows how to take care of the needs and sufferings of the people, even the most hidden ones. In particular, Jesus has compassion for these sheep “who have no shepherd”; they are therefore scattered, solitary, unable to weave true relationships. It is not their fault, but of those false shepherds against whom Jeremiah lashes out, who scattered the flock instead of gathering it. On the contrary, Jesus is our peace, he comes to reconcile and to gather everyone in one body, in one flock. His peace, which eliminates all enmity, is our true rest.

Commentary by Comunità di Dumenza

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey