Daily Gospel Reflection for August 5, 2019

Today's Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21 After the death of John the Baptist, Jesus understandably seeks to get away to spend some much needed time in prayer. With crowds constantly surrounding Him, finding the time for renewal, not to mention the time needed to grieve, would prove formidable. His heart, however, moved by compassion on the people who were seeking to be healed, could not remain idle in their need. And through this miracle, we are not only given this beautiful prefigurement of the Eucharistic celebration, but also to God’s call to responsibility for each one of us in our discipleship journey. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” As a mom the essential quest for alone time, particularly in prayer, has always echoed resoundingly for me. Almost without fail it seems the moment I had hoped to squirrel away to rest and renew ends up being the very instant the most of me is to be called upon. Couple this with our desire to be attentive to our spouse and friends and we begin to wonder if there really is such a thing as perfect peace. And is what we have sufficient enough, for the demands upon our time and resources that everyday life brings? In this way we look at our gifts and see little, forgetting that Christ is the multiplier of all gifts. Then, we look at our strength and recognize our weakness, unable to believe that God will enable us for the work ahead. Yet our heavenly Father who knows that we are weak and broken seeks to make of us the very miracle of mercy, love and compassion that is needed today. What is reassuring is that all that is needed from us is the simple offering of ourselves.

Ponder:

What might I be holding back from Christ today out of fear that it isn't enough?

Pray:

Jesus, though I come to You today unable to fully imagine how You may seek to use my brokenness, it is Yours. Help me to respond, as You did, with love and compassion willing to give You my all.