“They all ate and were satisfied.”

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“They all ate and were satisfied.”

Gospel Reading Matthew 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.

In today’s Gospel reading, we see Jesus’ true compassion to those who gather to hear the word. Not only does he make the deaf hear and the lame walk, He nourishes their bodies both physically and spiritually. He renews their lives so they can experience Heaven on Earth. The crowds gather to hear Christ and they bring the lame, the blind and the deformed. They were paced at His feet and He cured them. We too are called to come before the feet of our Lord, broken and ill. We are called to offer up our suffering to the Messiah so that He can cure us. Through His words the lame will walk, the blind will see, and the mute will talk. If we journey to Christ with a contrite heart, He will fix our broken hearts and souls. Once we are cured, we are called to come to the table to rejoice in His feast. Not only can Jesus mend us, He can provide us with abundant life. He cures us and He feeds us.

Today’s Gospel reading is a foreshadowing of the power and abundance of the Eucharistic Meal we celebrate on Sundays. The disciples only have a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish and yet they can feed thousands. Jesus is abundant and never ending. The Eucharist never runs out. We offer up the simple gifts of bread and wine and the Holy Spirit converts them into the body and blood of Christ. We can encounter Christ daily through the Eucharistic meal. This simple act demonstrates the abundant love that Christ has for us. No matter when we go to the Eucharistic table we can receive the bread of life. However, as this Gospel reading suggests, we must be healed of our afflictions so we can see and hear the Word of God. Take time this Advent season to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. It is a time to heal the soul and open your eyes to the true power and glory of our Father in Heaven. It is time to experience his mercy and compassion and then it is time to have communion with Christ.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, I am lame and broken.

Through your mercy and compassion, make me whole again.

Allow me to hear the Word of God and spread it throughout.

Nourish me so that I can always be your dedicated servant.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon