Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 15:29-37. December 3,2014 At that time: Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said, My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way. The disciples said to him, Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd? Jesus said to them, How many loaves do you have? Seven, they replied, and a few fish. He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets full. Reflection: They all ate and were satisfied. (Matthew 15:37) Imagine if you walked into your local hospital and started praying over the patients for healing, and they all jumped out of their beds shouting for joy because they were healed. Wouldn’t you be astounded? Well, this is what the people who followed Jesus experienced. They were astonished when they saw “the lame walking, and the blind able to see” (Matthew 15:31). Wherever he went, Jesus found people who were hurting. And in every case, he felt nothing but compassion for them. Love moved him to perform all those miracles—a love that longed to see his people made whole, a love that yearned to bring all the blessings of the kingdom into people’s lives. With every miracle, Jesus showed the people that God was nearer than they thought! He had broken through the barriers of sin, sickness, and death, just to be with them. Today’s story of the loaves and fishes shows that God loves us too much to leave us feeling hungry or defeated. On that day, Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and shared it with his followers. Today, he does the same thing every time we gather for the Eucharist. Only now, he feeds us with his own Body and Blood, not just with physical food. Back then, he satisfied the people’s bodily hunger. Now, he satisfies our inner hunger—our hunger for love, for mercy, for companionship, and, yes, for healing. Is there an area in your life where you need a miracle or a healing? Don’t be afraid to come to Jesus and ask. Surely the people who ate the loaves and fishes weren’t bashful about their needs. Go ahead and imitate them. Sit with Jesus during Mass and listen to his word. Look with wonder as the priest lifts the Host and chalice to your heavenly Father. Then come and receive, with your heart wide open, and take a leap of faith as you do. Be expectant. Ask Jesus to fill you and heal you. Even if you don’t see anything happen right away, believe that he is still at work in you. Remember, you have received Christ himself. He is with you, and he is in you. Wait patiently, and he will show you just how close he is. “Thank you, Jesus, for all the little and big miracles that you are performing in my life.” Source: DGO & WAU
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 07:53:31 +0000
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