Weeks 791-800
 

Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 791: The Lord’s Pity (Isaiah 55 : 1-3 ;  Psalm 145 : 8-9, 15-18 ; Romans 8: 35, 37-39 ; Mathew 114 : 13-21)

 

[Isaiah]

Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.

 

[Psalm 145]

R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.    

 

[Romans]

Brothers and sisters: What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

[Matthew]

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

 

Fellow pilgrims, we read of God’s powerful compassion, and generous providence for all. In the first reading God invites us to come to be fed with bread and to quench our thirst: “All you who are thirsty come to the water… Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost… Pay attention on and come to me; listen, that you may have life…” (Isa 55:1-3).  The psalm also affirms God’s graciousness, mercifulness, compassion and goodness to all his works, for he feeds and answers all our needs (Ps145). And this reality of God’s power was manifested in the gospel by Jesus the Son of God, who fed the crowd with five loaves and two fish (Ma 14:13-21).

 

Now, from the readings, Jesus’ compassion for his followers talks to us. We read that his heart was moved with pity for the crowd when he saw their manifested faith in seeking him out due to their varied needs (Ma 14:14). This is not just a feeling of sadness and sorrow but a deeply intense emotional state that manifested in an active response to the harassed, burdened and wearied looking crowd that followed him, as they looked like sheep without shepherd. This is an example and reminder to the Church and to us as we still encounter Jesus’ wearied flock in their trials.

 

Also, the universal aspect of Jesus’ compassion and love as he fed the crowd is seen. Just as the prophet invited all to enter into a new covenant of love, symbolized in the abundance of food and drink (Isa55:1-3), in the sense of the covenant banquet (Ex24:911) that was extended beyond the house of David (2 Sam7), so also Jesus compassion and feeding of the crowds showed God’s universal care and sustenance of all. The Psalm

says: “The Lord is good to all, compassionate to all his works” (Ps 145:9). Now, this reminds us that our active love, kindness and compassion is not reserved to only our family and the people we know. Jesus could have fed the apostles and dismiss the crowds especially as there were only a few fish and bread, but he chose to feed all, even those who did not believe, and those in the crowd that only wanted to find fault with him. As it is, God’s love and blessings is for all and nothing can separate us from it (Rom 8: 35, 37-39).

 

It is also noteworthy that Jesus asked the apostles to give the people something to eat in spite of the fact that they had only five loaves and two fish. This was because Jesus wanted them and us to be part of the circle of goodness and self-giving love with God; for he blesses and gifts us, for us to bless and gift others. Also, Jesus wanted the apostles and us to remember that each of us can still give something to another from our own little gifts of time, talent and treasure. And the little we give can extend continuously to unimaginable extent, just as the five loaves and two fish extended to feed about five thousand men apart from women and children. And our goodness and kindness can even grow to benefit future generations symbolized in the 12 baskets collected as the next day’s food/meal.

 

Now, although the reading may seem to be focused on material food, we can also observe that what God gives us is more than the material food. Hence, the psalm says: “…he answers all our needs” (Ps 145). This was also pointed to in the Alleluia verse: that man does not live on bread alone but from every word that come forth from the mouth of God (Ma 4:4; Deut. 8:3). Thus, the readings inform us that God feeds us with the important things we need especially for our spiritual growth and for our continued relationship of love. Unfortunately, sometimes we refuse to harken to the invitation to the new covenant of love, where we are fed with all we need as we also assist others. The 2nd reading asks us today, what can afflict, challenge, and prevent us from the love of God (Rom 8: 35, 37-39). The assurance here is that the love of God, our belief in it, and acceptance of this love will provide for us and keep us focused on loving acts. Peace

 

Fr. Francis Chukwuma

 

Prayer: “Father, your truth is made known in your Word. Guide us to seek the truth of the human person. Teach us the way to love because you are Love. Jesus, you embody Love and Truth. Help us to recognize your face in the poor. Enable us to live out our vocation to bring love and justice to your people. Holy Spirit, you inspire us to transform our world. Empower us to seek the common good for all persons. Give us a spirit of solidarity and make us one human family. Amen.”

 
Quote from a Saint: “Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?”-- St. Vincent de Paul

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Has your heart ever been moved with pity like Christ’s was for the crowd? If it has, what were the circumstances?

2. Has there ever been a time in your life when the Lord looked on you with pity? If so, reflect on how He reached out to you.

3. Do you try to imitate the Lord’s pity when you reach out to those who are in need?

4. Have you ever prayed for the Lord to let you see others as He sees them?

5. Has anything ever separated you from the Lord?

6. How do you give “from your own little gifts of time, talent and treasure”?

7. Have you ever volunteered at a soup kitchen or another food-based ministry?

8. Do you reach out to all indiscriminately or to just those in your circle?

-Benjamin and Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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