A Different Perspective

I go to mass every Sunday. I read scripture frequently, but only short passages. Lately I've gotten a little different perspective. As noted in my prior post, I've been spending time on a treadmill. To pass the time I took some tapes my husband bought years ago (and which have sat on the bookshelf since then) of the New Testament and have been playing them. Tonite I finished the Gospel of Matthew. Most of it is very familiar, these are stories I know. What I've found interesting is hearing so much of it in such a short period of time. Hearing this story this week and that story next week you don't get the sense of the whole that you do hearing that much that fast. I knew for example that the story of Jesus feeding the crowd with the loaves and fishes was in more than one gospel. I didn't realize that Matthew said it happened twice--in Matthew 14:
15
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
16 (Jesus) said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." 17 But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." 18
Then he said, "Bring them here to me," 19 and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking 5 the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 20
They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over 6 --twelve wicker baskets full. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children

Matthew 15:
32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way." 33 The disciples said to him, "Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?" 34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" "Seven," they replied, "and a few fish." 35 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, 14 broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 37
They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets full. 38
Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting women and children

Just an observation I'd never made before.