2-Dec-15

Gospel MT 15:29-37
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:
"Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others."
The "lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute" could not get to Jesus on the mountain by themselves.
They were mercifully and compassionately led, and even carried, to Jesus by those who loved them.
Who were these people that brought the "lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute" to Jesus?
Relatives certainly, but they were also probably brought by friends and neighbors, and perhaps even by Pharisees and scribes.
Elsewhere in scripture, Jesus tells us that the first commandment is love of God and the "....second is like it ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:38-39
Since the beginning of My Brother's Keeper 28 years ago, the vast majority of those who seek help are referred by someone who has previously received help.
The same is true of various agencies such as, AA, NA, Parents of Lost Children, etc.
Compassion still reigns in the human heart, especially in the hearts of those who have known suffering themselves.
In mercy, we continue to carry others to Jesus for healing.

"Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10: 36-37