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SATURDAY, FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
Gn 3: 9-24; Ps 90: 2-6, 12-13; Mk 8: 1-10
A GRATEFUL HEART IS A COMPASSIONATE HEART
In today’s Gospel, Jesus expresses gratitude to the Father for the seven loaves and two fish. Jesus acknowledged God as His provider. How many of us have the habit of thanking and praising God for everything He gives us? We often conveniently forget that everything we have comes from the bounty of our Heavenly Father. We like to think that we have acquired all of our possessions through our own efforts. We who are overjoyed when we are thanked for doing a good deed should give thanks to God, who loves us so much and is always there to provide for us.
We have so much to thank God for choosing us as His people, redeeming us through His Son Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of life, families, good health, and wealth, His mercy and all the graces and blessings bestowed upon us. This list could go on and on. Let us be grateful people, constantly thanking and praising God for His unending love for us.
In today’s Gospel, we also see Jesus as a compassionate friend. As He sees the needs of those around Him, He is filled with compassion. He ministers to them and attends to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Can I do the same thing in my life here on earth? Throughout our lives, we are invited to show compassion in our families, places of work, wherever we go and whomever we meet. Our Lord does not compel us to act, but rather invites us to be compassionate. As we read in Scripture: “Whatever you do to the least of my brethren you do to me.” As a result, whatever we do in spiritual and corporal works of mercy is for Christ.
But, what does it mean really to be compassionate towards those suffering? It means suffering with others and feeling their pain in our hearts, and actually doing something to alleviate it. This is what Jesus really wants us to do.
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.
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