It’s one of the most familiar Gospel scenes: Jesus multiplies the loaves and fishes, feeding a hungry crowd. But what happens next reveals a disconnect between Jesus and the people he fed. On Father Simon Says, Fr. Simon explains that this miracle fulfilled a long-held expectation: that the Messiah would renew the manna in the desert. The crowd saw the sign, but they missed its purpose. When they tracked Jesus down, He confronted them directly: “You’re looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” In other words, they wanted the benefits, but not the relationship.

When the crowd asks what they must do to accomplish the works of God, Jesus gives a simple answer: believe in Him. But Fr. Simon points out something crucial. The word “believe” in Scripture means more than intellectual agreement. “The verb 'believe' in Greek is pisteuō, and it means trust.” That changes everything. It’s easy to say we believe in Jesus. It’s much harder to trust Him, especially when life feels uncertain.

Fr. Simon brings it down to everyday life. We pray, “Lord, take care of my family,” but then we worry endlessly. We try to control outcomes, push others, even nag them toward faith. That’s not trust. Real trust means surrendering control, loving others, praying for them, and entrusting them to Jesus. As Fr. Simon reminds us, sometimes that’s as much as we can do.

“This is the work of God that you trust in the One He has sent.” It's simple, but it isn’t easy. Trusting Christ can feel like hard work, especially when we’re tempted to rely on ourselves. Yet that is the invitation: to move from individualism to surrender, from belief to trust. And in that trust, we find salvation.

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