Compassion for the Crowd

After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." The disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" Jesus asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Matthew 15:29-39 

Compassion for the Crowd

The incarnate Christ is not about

the color and design of seasonal cups

nor correct language, music and liturgy

nor the displays or lack of them in public.

The presence of God's child is healing

the maimed whole, the blind seeing

the lame walking, the mute speaking

and the hungry people around us fed.

Making Christ visible this Christmas

will make us give away our foppery

seeking out the aching, broken people

and getting medical attention for those bleeding.

If we would be truly followers of Christ

we would forget the symbols and seek the people

the ones beloved of him who walked among them

the bling, lame, broken, addicted and outcasts.

Come celebrate the incarnation by making

real love and compassion flow from every corner

every street, every house and every village

until our compassion made every one see.

God is in the midst of us this season

bringing hope, healing and living promises

sparkling, glittering brighter than bobles

ready to make room for those hidden away.