HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM
Isaiah 55:1-3; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew 14:13-21
Amid the devastation caused by the recent Assam floods, there are touching stories of compassion. While volunteers were distributing relief material across villages, a woman invited them home to have a cup of tea and to share a simple meal despite her own hardships. Another family served the volunteers lime juice despite losing almost everything in the floods.
We see such compassion in the readings of today.
The gospel opens with Jesus withdrawing to a lonely place after he hears of John’s beheading. But he has no time to be “by himself” for the crowds follow him. He is faced with an unexpected demand on himself.
There are two usual responses to such a situation. a) I ignore such demands because they conflict with my plans/needs. b) I always put aside my plans and respond beyond the call of duty; the result is eventual burnout/frustration. Neither is appropriate.
Jesus’ response? He “had compassion on them” and satisfied their hunger. The “great crowd,” the “lonely place,” and the feeding with “bread” remind us of the way God fed his people in the desert with manna and assure us that God still satisfies his people’s hunger. BUT it is important to note that in John’s version of this episode, Jesus goes away after satiating the people’s hunger because he does not want to make them dependent!
Sometimes, compassion is helping people by giving them resources and myself; at other moments, compassion is helping people find their own resources and themselves.
There is so much hunger. Is it possible to satiate this hunger?
The first reading asks an important question: “Why do you spend money for that which is not bread…?” If, instead of spending on our wants and whims, we use money for ours and others’ basic needs, we will help alleviate people’s hunger.
Remember the disciples had “only five loaves and two fish”. Jesus multiplied this “only five loaves and two fish” and it became enough to feed the multitude.
Today’s liturgy reassures us: God cares for us; he can and will satisfy all our hungers. But he needs me to mediate his compassion.
Am I ready to be compassionate – to share my resources sometimes and help people find their own resources at other moments? Will I give my “five loaves and two fish” and allow the Lord to multiply them? Am I willing to buy only what I need and to give the surplus so others can meet their needs?
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