A GOOD PERSON IS IN FRONT OF US
We don't need to understand why. We just need to know that our heavenly
Father is the One we love, trust, obey, and thank.
In the Book of
Genesis, God surprises us by manifesting some traits that appear very human: He
becomes angry and disgusted with sinful ways of human living. "When the
Lord God saw how great was man's wickedness on earth... He regretted that He
had made man on the earth, and His heart was grieved" (Gen 6:5-6). But - and this is a big but -- humanly speaking, God
was saved from "despair" by finding one good person, Noah. Isn't that
what we can and must also do in the face of our discouragement? If we look around,
we can find not just one but often many good people who give us and our world
hope. A good person is usually in front of us! Reflect on the Noah's in our own
experience, in our neighborhoods, and among those with whom we spend a lot of
our time in the workplace. Couples have dedicated themselves with little hope
of recognition for being wonderful parents and spouses. The widow suffers other
challenges in life alone who is always on hand to listen and share others'
grief. A stranger comes to one's aid in an unhappy moment. Most of us can
balance all the turbulent times in our lives with the help of good people who
bring God's goodness to us.
Today in the
Gospel, St. Mark tells us that the apostles set off in their boat across the
Sea of Galilee only to discover that they forgot to bring enough food for their
journey. What were they to do, miles away from land and a place where they can
buy food and supplies? They are anxious of course, and this has happened right
after Jesus Christ had performed the miracle of the multiplication of the
loaves and fishes where the disciples fed more than four thousand people. Jesus
knows the trouble in the disciples' hearts even before they can speak. Jesus
deals with their anxiety by first warning them to not fear what can harm the
body rather than what can destroy the very heart and soul of their being. Jesus
cautions them to beware of the bread that corrupts and leads to death, such as
the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. Our "daily
bread" is whatever nourishes us, not just physically, but also
spiritually, intellectually, and morally in our lives.
Jesus reminds us in
Scripture today of His miraculous provision of bread in the feeding of the
thousands. He unbraids the Apostles for their lack of trust in God, and He
challenges us today as well. "Do you not yet understand?" (Mk 8:17)
It's easy to get preoccupied with the problems and needs of the present moment
and to forget the most important reality of all: God's abiding presence in us and
His abundant provision for our lives.
We learn from our
responsorial psalm today that we need God to keep on putting up with us,
patiently teaching, forgiving, and "blessing His people with peace"
(Ps 29:11). We don't need to understand why. We just need to know that our
heavenly Father is the One we love, trust, obey, and thank.
Father, give us
this day our daily bread. We see what we are; we become what we eat. We are the
Body of Christ, blessed and then broken, shared by us all, so that we become
Christ's presence to God's people. Amen!