Compassion

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

We may not have witnessed what we call miracles in our own life, yet miracles happen every day. When a community sees a need and helps, whether it is comfort, feeding, housing or health care, these are the small, everyday miracles that change lives. Before Jesus fed the thousands, he healed the blind, the deaf, the lame and the broken ones. Huge miracles and small miracles all at the same time. We are invited to see that we find God's love deepen as we see and respond to the needs around us. We are blessed over and over again, by feeding the hungry on their way home.

Precious Creator, your heart is full of compassion

you notice the needs on our streets and in our towns

and have us eat our fill before we head to our homes.

We do not see the need and always worry about money

despite the abundance before us and around us

we are afraid to help since we cannot imagine enough.

You, O Lord, are always enough for our daily needs

you fill us when we are empty, hold us when we are alone

and you give us the strength to be your love here today. Amen.