6th Sunday after Pentecost 17 July 2022 Compassion of Christ
Our Lord has compassion on the multitude; they have nothing to eat and He feels genuinely sorry for them.
Of course this is symbolic of a deeper problem and a deeper solution. He is working this miracle to promise something better than bread.
He was sorry for the whole human race that would make such hard work of something that should have been simple, namely salvation, even to the point of putting that salvation in doubt.
All this difficulty is caused by sin, the Original sin and then some more. It is harder to solve a problem when the factors causing the problem are still very active.
Still, the Saviour has noted our trouble and is still anxious to save us, despite our ingratitude, defiance, indifference etc.
We call on the Lord’s help to make us willing to receive the nourishment that only He can give us.
Part of the problem of being spiritually hungry is that we may not know it. Everyone knows they need food, but they may not know they need God, as in the Eucharist, and the new way of life that goes with that.
They might deny it or simply not get around to thinking about it. Or they just think they are getting by ok.
It is easy to dismiss what seems a distant solution, but there is so much to discover here.
These people need more than a free meal; they need to find God.
And He will help them do that.
We might start the search for God tentatively, but we will become more aware of Him as we go along.
Our Lord certainly is aware of us. He knows each sheep, and deals directly with each one.
He hopes that each one will wake up to how fortunate they are to have such a possibility, such a solution.
The Eucharist is an acquired taste, requiring a sense of loss if we do not receive it.
The Eucharist can be understood only if we make sufficient commitment to a life of discipleship of Christ. One cannot simply come off the street and expect to receive the full benefit.
There are people who demand the Eucharist as a right; yet they openly maintain a lifestyle out of union with God. Taking the Eucharist on those terms will make matters worse.
Instead, we keep the commands, pray the prayers, help the neighbour - all at the same time, and then we will see the Eucharist as part of a whole way of life.
God perseveres. He has compassion even on the lost and the most difficult.
He continues to offer Himself, and some at least will repent.
God is not so mysterious that we know nothing about Him. He has a definite plan and desire to win people to Himself - thus today’s epistle regarding baptism. He claims them all – go and baptize all nations.
He wants us to feed people with the truth. There is so little truth about! To help people to think straight, and to know night from day.
We are fortunate if we already know these things, but we realize how hard we have to work to keep these beliefs foremost in our minds, so steering through this life to eternity.
We do what we can to make it clearer for others, to unravel the hostility and confusion. They need to know they do have a reason for existing, and it is to glorify God, and share in His happiness. Each person missing is a great loss, for themselves and for the whole Church.
May we all be saved.
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