By Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: Gen 3:9-24, Mk 8:1-10
‘I have compassion on you’ is the key sentence from today’s Gospel which strengthens our faith in times of weakness. The feeding of the multitude after the sermon by Jesus tells us that he satisfies our physical and spiritual needs through His divine power. We could see how important are both physical and spiritual food (Word of God) to sustain our lives on earth. And the covid-19 pandemic taught us very well the impact of losing both food. On one hand, there are thousands of people who lost their life without having food due to unemployment and poverty. On the other hand, there are thousands of people who lost their peace of mind and fall into despair and loneliness due to a lack of spiritual participation in the mass and prayer. So, there is no doubt in the importance of physical and spiritual food.
In today’s Gospel Jesus is projected as a divine person who satisfies the hunger of the people through his divine power. Dear friends, think of the time we are gifted and appointed with power and authority in the community, family, in the working place, or our business. Did we use our power for the good of others like Jesus? or did we use it for our self-glorification and satisfaction and the name and fame of our institutions? This is the question we are called to reflect upon on this day. Jesus used all his power to help others, to cure the sick and to raise the dead. But in today’s society whether a politician, doctor, government servant, and even a religious, is tempted to use the power for oneself and for the development of one’s own comfort zone rather than using it for the needs of those in need.
Today let us ask God our Father to give us the grace and strength to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ to seek the spiritual food (word of God) and share our physical and spiritual resources with others.