Dominica VI Post Pentecosten: "I have compassion on the multitude, because they ... have nothing to eat."

From the holy Gospel according to Saint Mark

Mark 8:1-9
In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and saith unto them: I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me for three days, and have nothing to eat. And so on.

Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
Bk. vi. on Luke ix.
After that woman, who is a type of the Church, was healed of the issue of blood Luke viii. 43-48; the Lord had sent His disciples to preach the kingdom of God ix. 2. His heavenly tenderness gave food. But consider who they were unto whom He gave it. He gave it not to such as dwell at ease, not to men in cities, not to such as sit in places of worldly splendour, but to men seeking Christ in a desert place. Such as are not given to niceness are they whom Christ receiveth, and unto whom the Word of God speaketh, not of earthly things, but of the kingdom of God 11. And if any bear in them the running sores of fleshly passion, He healeth them.