Five Loaves and Two Fishes
Five Loaves and Two Fishes. Pauline Books & Media, 2003.
In this book, Van Thuân recalls the time of his imprisonment from 1975 to 1988, during which he experiences the radical demands of the Sequela Christi and, at the same time, God’s Providence and tenderness. Five Loaves and Two Fish is the most well-known of his writings. It is not just a simple account of his long years in prison but, first and foremost, his spiritual testimony. It is a witness to the tangible and daily presence of Divine mercy in his life. In the Preface, he reveals the “why” of his autobiography to his readers when he states: “I often suffer internally because the mass media demand I tell them sensational things: that I accuse, denounce, call to battle, take revenge... My greatest desire is to transmit my message of Love, in serenity and truth, in forgiveness and reconciliation. I want to share my personal experiences: how I encountered Jesus in every moment of my daily existence, in the discernment between God and His works, in prayer, in the Eucharist, in my brothers and sisters, in the Virgin Mary – who was guide on my path”. This is the purpose and, at the same time, the content of his moving story, written with great clarity and simplicity.