Daily Gospel Reflection for February 15, 2020

Today's Gospel: Mark 8:1-10 The parable of the loaves and the fishes has always been one of my favorite Gospel passages. It demonstrates in such a palpable way how God always provides. He was out in the middle of nowhere, and people were hungry. They couldn’t swing by their nearest grocery store or pour themselves a bowl of cereal. The concern was real that they would collapse on their way home. True to His nature, Jesus declared, “My heart is moved with pity.” Growing up in a large Catholic family, I saw day in and day out how God always provided. My mom stayed home with us and finances were tight, yet my parents made it a priority to send us to Catholic schools. They used to tell stories about how anonymous checks would sometimes show up in the mail or a meal at our doorstep just when we needed it. We never went hungry, never lacked clothing or shelter. My Dad would always say, “God can never be outdone in generosity”. He taught us to tithe and be generous and just wait, just watch and see if we could outdo God. They taught me with their actions as I observed them befriend refugees and help them get settled into their new homes, bring food and clothing to poor migrants who picked apples, or take day-old bread out to the Carmelite nuns and take them back and forth to their appointments. I have followed my dad’s advice to this day, and I have to admit that although times have been tough and although things have not always happened in my impatient time-frame, I have never been in dire need. God has shown me that same pity, that same concern that drove Him to action, that He did to the crowd in that deserted place. And He longs to do the same for you.