Dear Friends,
How many times have we read the accounts of the feeding of the multitude in the Gospels?
Hundreds, I am sure. What caught my attention recently was not the presentation of the miracle, but what happened before it. Jesus and the Apostles had slipped away on a boat to eat and rest, but the crowds raced on ahead of them from all the towns, and when Jesus saw the crowd, he “had pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
I pondered what drew the crowds to Jesus? What made them follow him for miles without human provisions? My mind drew forth two distinct memories where I am certain Jesus took pity on me.
One was a mission I did in Haiti shortly after the devastating earthquake of 2010. We were serving in the poorest community I have ever seen. The suffering of the people was so great, but the presence of Jesus was even greater. I was hungry, tired, hot and my body ached from hours on my feet, holding small children, carrying supplies etc. Despite my discomfort, I didn’t want to “risk” leaving and, perhaps, lose the presence of the Lord so palpable in the moment. Maybe the followers in the Gospel felt the same. Maybe they feared that if they returned to the cities to eat and rest, they might sever what was drawing them to Jesus.
I remembered, too, a moment during adoration where the Lord was very present to my soul, and my phone was vibrating, reminding me of a pending work obligation I had to keep. I didn’t want to leave and miss this intimate time with Jesus and felt tears stinging my eyes as I packed up to return to work. I can’t to this day remember anything of the time in prayer except the huge pull on my heart to remain.
In our Gospel story, I am certain that Jesus touched hearts like no one had before. Some felt truly “known” for the first time. For others, a light inside of them was lit, and the fear of turning back threatened a return to the darkness in which they lived before meeting Jesus. I assure everyone reading this reflection that Jesus knows our hearts. He knows we are inexplicably drawn to him, and he is drawn to us.
Yours in the Heart of Jesus,
Donna