The Lord Sustains

Today’s Gospel Text:  And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." 33 And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" 34 And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." 35 And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Matt 15:29-37

Reflection: So goes the oracle of Isaiah the prophet: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isa 40:29-31

Then how could that crowd that was with Jesus for three days go hungry and become faint?

The Lord himself will provide for them, since they put their trust in the person of Christ Jesus and his teachings.

They did not hold food dear to them nor their many attachments and relationships but decided to be with Jesus and listen to his teachings and see him perform the many signs and wonders so as to increase their faith.

The same God whether of the Old testament or of the new or of our day: Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever, will never disappoint us if we learn to wait on him with faith for an answer to our prayers. Exception to the rule; unless we are asking what is sinful and contrary to his revealed will. 

He will see that we do not go hungry if we come to him with the poverty of spirit and humility, like these who did not come with their packets of food or the fruit of their toil and labor.

God’s concern for each one of us is a sure one and he doesn't test us beyond our capacity and measure as seen here; though Jesus could have fed the crowd on the first day itself but he instead chooses to do so on the last day, just that final moment.

Let this Gospel passage inspire each one of us to give of ourselves to the Lord in total surrender, without fear or anxiety, who in that ultimate moment will rescue us and come to our aid.

Prayer:  Lord, help us to rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not disappoint us; for you will sustain us. (cfr. Rom 5:3-5)

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