“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ~Mark Twain
In Matthew's Gospel, we are presented with Jesus extending his kindness to the broken and the vulnerable, restoring them to good health from all their ailments. They brought him lame, dumb, and all with other sicknesses. And because of his compassionate heart and acting with authority from his Father, he did not hesitate to work healing miracles among them.
People filled with gratitude praised God for all that they were experiencing through Jesus Christ’s ministry. No one who met Jesus remained the same, they were all touched and transformed by his healing and miraculous power, more so his compassionate love. His miracles demonstrated the power of God and the magnitude of his mercy and kindness toward us humans. That is probably why the crowd never wanted to dispatch; they stayed put for three days listening to Jesus.
Lessons from Jesus
- Jesus attuned to the well-being of the crowd, he asks his disciples not to send them away hungry but to feed them. Confronted with this huge task of feeding the multitude, the disciples desperately become overwhelmed; “where are they going to get food enough for these people in a desert place?”
- Jesus' reaction to their desperation is one that offers hope, a demonstration that Jesus knows our needs and he cares. He doesn’t load with the task that is beyond our capability. Jesus proceeds to make what seemed an impossible task into a sign of how God is ready to give, and he gives abundantly. Using the few loaves and fish they ate to their fill and the left over from this miraculous meal, was much more than what Jesus started with.
- A clear illustration of God’s unlimited kindness and compassion for the broken ones. When God gives, he gives until we are satisfied, when God works for his people, he gives more than we could deserve and more than we need.
Reaching out and Extending Ourselves
We too have to share in the ministry of reaching out and extending ourselves in love to those who are suffering, those in need, people who require and demand our attention, by way of our presence and availability.
We cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the demands before us. Jesus assures us that he can work powerfully through the little that we possess. The saying goes that “ grace builds on nature,” in order for Jesus to extend his mercy and kindness, he invites our full participation, he needs us to bring the little resources we have, and trust that he can accomplish far more with them, than we might imagine.
God works with what is already there in us to perfect what is lacking in our lives as human beings. Our willingness and openness to cooperate with God, in bringing healing, restoring hope where it has diminished, is certainly a language that will help those who are deaf spiritually to hear, and the blind to see. And be able to praise God.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Fulgen's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
