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

In our modern world we often overlook suffering and hunger. We want to make their suffering the result of something they did wrong. People are too often punished unjustly for being poor or refugees. We don't trust them. Yet Jesus knew their suffering, he felt it in his being. All of us have the capacity to see the suffering and share what we have. There will always be enough left over, if we act in love and compassion.

Precious Savior, you saw the suffering

you responded with great abundance

you never sent them away hurt and hungry

rather you filled them up to overflowing.

We often see what the world lacks

and blame the poorest for our probl4ems

we want to hold and hoard what we have

even though we cannot take it with us.

Help us to be those who share the bounty

give us the faith to expect big miracles

may our compassion and love be yours

and our actions always those you would do. Amen.