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Ordinary Time · Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year A

Matthew 14:13-21

Feeding the Five Thousand

August 2, 2026

Feeding the Five Thousand (July), Marten van Valckenborch
Feeding the Five Thousand (July), Marten van Valckenborch, 16th century
From a series of the months. The miracle happens in the middle distance of a July landscape busy with ordinary summer work.They all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over: the painting puts the feeding into a countryside that is already feeding people.Marten van ValckenborchA Flemish painter who fled Antwerp for religious reasons and worked in Frankfurt, painting the months and seasons.
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 14:13-21Mt 14:13-21
Second ReadingRom. 8:35, 37-39Rom 8:35, 37-39
First ReadingIsa. 55:1-3Is 55:1-3
Responsorial PsalmPs. 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18Ps 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18

Overview & Insights

"And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full." (Matthew 14:20)

Moved with compassion for a large crowd, Jesus heals the sick and then feeds more than five thousand people from five loaves and two fish, with twelve baskets left over.

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Take it further: Matthew 14:13-21

Commentary

Working Preacher: Commentary on Matthew 14:13-21Working Preacher: Commentary on Mt 14:13-21 Working Preacher

A preaching focused reading of the feeding miracle.

Enduring Word: Matthew 14Enduring Word: Mt 14 Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse by verse evangelical commentary on the whole chapter.

Precept Austin: Matthew 14 CommentaryPrecept Austin: Mt 14 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep gathering of study notes and cross references on the chapter.

Bible Hub: Matthew 14:13 CommentariesBible Hub: Mt 14:13 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic and modern commentaries lined up verse by verse.

Barnes' Notes on Matthew 14Barnes' Notes on Mt 14 StudyLight

A concise nineteenth century commentary on the chapter.

Loyola Press: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Sunday Connection Loyola Press · Sunday Connection

Catholic reflection and discussion questions for the Sunday readings.

Brant Pitre: 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre

A Catholic scholar walks through all of this Sunday's readings together.

Agape Bible Study: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Agape Bible Study

A detailed Catholic study of all of this Sunday's readings.

Background & Word Study

Bible Hub Interlinear: Matthew 14Bible Hub Interlinear: Mt 14 BibleHub

The Greek text with parsing and gloss for each word.

BibleProject: Overview of Matthew 14-28BibleProject: Overview of Mt 14-28 BibleProject

An animated walk through the second half of the Gospel.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Matthew 14Catena: Mt 14 Catena

Early church and patristic comment gathered under each verse.

Podcast

Bishop Barron: The Heart of Christianity Word on Fire

Bishop Barron preaches this Sunday’s Mass readings, including Matthew 14:13-21.

Art & Music

Art in the Christian Tradition Vanderbilt

A curated image index for this reading across the history of Christian art.

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