This week's gospel reading offers the one miracle story that all four gospel writers saw fit to include in their works the feeding of the 5,000. In the synoptics, this miracle story follows on the heels of the news of John the Baptist's death with both Matthew and Mark giving a full account of the treacherous events that led up to his execution.

John the Baptist's death obviously disturbed Jesus deeply. John was both Jesus' kinsman and his messianic confederate. Matthew's text does not try to intrude upon Jesus' private thoughts and grief when he learns of the Baptist's death. The gospel writer does report that, as he often did, Jesus immediately separated himself from the crowds and sought solace in a private retreat far removed from civilization choosing a "deserted place" to come to ter…