Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

Compassion is a dimension of spirituality

 

 

Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings.

 

In Mark’s Gospel (mark 6:34-44), the multiplication of the loaves is very important. It is mentioned twice: here and in Mk 8:1-9. And Jesus Himself questions the disciples on the multiplication of the loaves (Mk 8:14-21). This is why it is worthwhile to observe and to reflect, so as to discover what exactly is the importance of the multiplication of the loaves.

 

The feeding of the five thousand men ((They had a bad sexist habit of not counting women and children) speaks of the generosity of God and his kindness towards us. When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives us more than we need for ourselves so that we can share with those who lack what they need.

 

Jesus’ compassion is highlighted here again. Let me chat with him about compassion because it is so central in his life. Is he telling me that God IS compassion, and that we humans need to become like him? The kingdom of heaven belongs, it seems, to the compassionate. Jesus has compassion for me, he IS compassion for me! I ask him to help me to be more compassionate to myself, as well as to others. Let my tombstone read, ‘She/he radiated compassion.’

 

He had compassion on the crowd’. Do I share his concern for the many in today’s world, both old and younger, who are like sheep without a shepherd? If Jesus said to me what he says to the disciples, ‘You give them something to eat!’ have I anything to offer a hungry world? Can I help even one person? Can I be ‘good news’ to even one of the millions who are in need?

 

Real prayer involves a change in my behavior. So, I need to be like the bewildered disciples here and ‘go and see’ what resources I might use to serve the needy. Perhaps I couldn’t risk a new initiative, but could I join a concerned group? Or perhaps I need to start further back and ask the Lord for a share in that passionate love that got him going that day? 

 

When we think of feeding the world, or of all the need in the world, it can be overwhelming and might either give us a reason to put it off until we have a solution or throw up our hands in the face of such an enormous task. Mother Teresa (St Teresa of Calcutta) offered advice throughout her life on this. It is necessary to first love those in your family. Love begins at home.

 

Some families have someone who is suffering or lonely, yet we don't even have time to smile at them. “If you really want to be God's love in the world of today, begin to be God's love in your own home first.” You must be hope of eternal happiness to your husband, your wife, your child, your grandparents, parents, and whoever is connected to you. Even among co-workers in the office or at the job, can they see Jesus in you? And of course, my sisters and brothers from the church.

 

Jesus forgets to rest to serve the people. That is why I invite you to meditate today on this question: What example should I set? Jesus invites us to have compassion. And remember, compassion is a feeling that occurs when seeing someone suffer and that prompts them to alleviate their pain or suffering, to remedy it or to avoid it.

 

Blessings,

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Viernes, Enero 8, 2021 - 15:45

Ministerio en el tiempo del Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevenir, curar y acompañar

Ahora tenemos que darle forma a lo que algun@s han comenzado a llamar; La Iglesia en Casa. Aunque yo me sigo preguntando; ¿qué hacen quienes no tienen un hogar? Por esto a la misma vez, estoy declarando desde hoy en nuestra Iglesia Santa Cruz una jornada de cuaresma de oración, ayuno y leer la Biblia en el Tiempo del Coronavirus.

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