Reflection for December 4
In the Gospel of Matthew 15:29-37, Jesus multiplies loaves and fishes to feed thousands. He addresses the needs of others through His faith and freedom from judgment.
Jesus’ faith flows from trust in God’s willingness to share abundantly. In our nation, many of us are reasonably comfortable. Yet, we function as if sharing any of our wealth will negatively impact our economic standing or create deficiencies in our lives. The notion of scarcity drives us to think there is not enough to go around and we must hold on firmly to more and more.
Jesus acted free from judgment. Many of us aren’t as kind. Jesus saw a need and did not evaluate whether the people gathered were deserving or unworthy based on their ethnicity, race, status as migrants/immigrants, or whether rich or poor. Today judging others, in the name of “fairness” or out of resentment, justifies policies and practices that result in inequities. Our biases limit the use of our country’s bountiful food, medical, education, safety, and other resources. It’s amazing how far minimal generosity can go in transforming the lives of many struggling to jump-start and sustain a decent quality of life.
We all have a responsibility to first care for ourselves and our families. However, when blessed with abundance, Christians are called by our faith to do more. We are asked to pay forward our blessings, reject the myth of scarcity, and resist conditional help to those less fortunate.
In today’s gospel, Jesus acts fearlessly, compassionately, and without condemnation. We are challenged to act in the same way and to love in the highest form—charitably.
Feliz Navidad 2024,
Marilynn Cruz-Aponte