Why me? Why now?
Listening the Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Listening the Word: Matthew 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
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.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking 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.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
Reflection
When we have a difficult moment in our life, we instinctively look for a quiet place. It can be a family problem, losing someone important, a stressful discussion, losing our job, being burnt out, etc. We want to have a moment with ourselves. We want to know what we are going to do next, or to figure out how we came to this point. Many times, Jesus will take his disciples outside of the city to be by themselves. In fact, it is something that will help us a great deal, and it is important to acknowledge that sometimes we need a break.
Jesus found himself in a situation like this. He lost a dear friend and relative in a very unfair way. It should have been a very difficult feeling, and wisely he wants to be alone with his disciples. But reality is our best friend, and Jesus never disconnects from it. He sees this vast number of people looking for him, waiting for him, and he feels mercy for them. So, he changed his plans and put himself at the service of the crowd. How much love Jesus has for the people who are suffering, for the people taking care of sick or elderly people at home, for those who feel alone, betrayed, tired, and are looking for some hope. Jesus feels mercy for us, and he will never look away.
We are Christians and disciples of Christ. We follow Christ above all, and that makes a difference. Our needs and plans sometimes find situations in which we need to act immediately. Of course, it is exceptional and unexpected. But it is so urgent that we cannot continue as if nothing happened. We need to stop and redirect our journey. Especially in the sight of people in need, people who need our presence and our help. Just as Jesus, the good Samaritan, did. To be able to do this, we need to open our eyes wide to see the reality of the people around us and especially our hearts to feel mercy for them.
Let us ask Jesus our Lord to help us see the reality of our brothers and sisters as he did and to have a heart full of compassion for the people who are in need so that we can put ourselves at their service, offering to them as much as we can or have. It may not be much, but with God’s grace it will be enough to satisfy multitudes.
Reflection Questions
- Jesus looked at the crowd with compassion, healed their wounds, and fed their hunger. How have I experienced Jesus’ healing and nourishment through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist?
- After receiving God’s mercy and spiritual food, how am I called to show the same compassion of Jesus by helping those who are suffering, lonely, or in need around me?
