“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd”
Mark 8:2a
How small the world is when our concern is for ourselves. And in contrast, how large the impact can be when we are concerned for others. In 1 Kings the kingdom is divided: Israel and Judah, Israel’s king (Jeroboam, a bad king) is concerned the people will turn from him if they pilgrimage to Jerusalem (in Judah). To compel the people’s allegiance, he sets up false gods for worship and the people’s pilgrimage. Not only has he placed burdens upon the people, but he also leads them away from God.
Contrast that to Jesus’ care in the Gospel for those who have been following him for days without food. His first concern is for their well-being. They have fed on God’s word, and he now feeds these 4000 from seven loaves AFTER giving thanks to God. Jeroboam’s self-concern not only leads to an eventual loss of the kingdom but also his complete family line. Jesus had little and through thanks to God miraculously fed 4000 and gathered baskets full of fragments. We too are given similar choices and amid anxieties are called to help the “other.” Let us bring the little we have to God and give thanks for the ability to share our bread.
How generous am I with my blessings?
Lord, thank you for blessing the little I have. Teach me to be generous and to serve you as I should, and not count the cost. Amen.
Today’s Reflection is by:
Alan Gauzens
Did you know...
Alan Gauzens is a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin. There, he is a lector and active in men’s ministries including the Knights of Columbus, That Man Is You! and Tap Into Discipleship. A 2019 graduate of the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute, Alan and his wife Joanne have been married for 40 years and are blessed with 4 children.
