When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. (Mt 14:14).

The feast of the feeding of the five thousand was quite different from the birthday feast of Herod Antipas (Mt 14:1-12). Herod’s focus was on himself, not the welfare of the guests attending his banquet. Herod’s pride was on full display, and it culminated in his ordering the head of John the Baptist to be served up on a platter.

Jesus was focused instead on those who gathered around him; “his heart was moved with pity for them”. Jesus was aware of their need, their hunger, not only for something to eat, but a deeper spiritual hunger. He made himself available to them. Jesus taught, healed, and when that time ended instead of sending them off to fend for themselves, in the multiplication of the bread and fish, he met their most basic need of nourishment.

There is a stark contrast between the attitude of Herod and Jesus. We can certainly see these two scenes playing out clearly in our country and world today. The question for us is do we close ourselves off, embrace an indifference to those who are in need, and let others fend for themselves, or do we make an effort to be aware of the needs of those around us. Mother Teresa said: “People are hungry for God. People are hungry for love. Are we aware of that? … Do we have eyes to see? Quite often we look but don’t see. We are all just passing through this world. We need to open our eyes and see” (Mother Teresa, 56).

We do not have to feed five thousand. The effort of putting our love into action for one person today is a good way to begin. Let us ask Jesus for the eyes to see that we may be aware, for a heart that is open that we may feel, and for a soul on fire with the Holy Spirit to reach out and be present to those in need in our midst. “We are collaborators with Christ, fertile branches on the vine” (56).

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Mass Readings for today, Monday, August 7, 2017:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080717.cfm

Mother Teresa. No Greater Love. Edited by Becky Benenate, Joseph Durepos. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2001