Reflection for Tuesday, January 5

 “They all ate and were satisfied.” (Mark 6:42). In today’s gospel, we observe the beautiful miracle of Jesus feeding five thousand men. The large crowd stood before Him, and through the power of God, Jesus was able to feed everyone with only five loaves and two fish. There are multiple takeaways from this story, but the most relevant theme found here is discovering compassion through hardship.

There are only a few accounts within the New Testament where Jesus performs miracles and this one, in particular, demonstrates the loving strength that Jesus provides for all of us. Recognizing Jesus as a helper and a friend opens us up to live a life of love and tenderness. But in order to understand who Jesus truly is to us, we must explore the value of compassion. Loving others can be an extremely difficult task, especially during times of doubt, fear, and anguish. Expressing our love for others when we face challenges is the most effective way of finding happiness with Christ. An attitude of selflessness brightens a much-needed light in this world for us, both individually and collectively.

There is always a purpose behind Jesus’ miracles. In this case, He shows us that he is here to lead us through our journey and that with compassion, anything is possible. Christ is love, and through love, we can find the compassion to guide us through our struggles.

Declan Wlochowski