At various times, for our own reasons we have felt within us an ache – for something that seemed unable to be satisfied. We have felt a longing – for things to be different than they are. Often, it’s a personal ache: for a spouse to love us as they once did, for a departed loved one to be held in our arms as they once were. Jesus knows such ache in this Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus’ heart aches for John the Baptist. John has been murdered and Jesus aches for him. Jesus’ heart aches for each person in the vast crowd who has gathered around him seeking his healing touch. Ache comes to all of us.
Much of humanity is aching for the world to be different than it is. It is an ache felt by whole peoples, cities, and towns, as well as individual hearts. Our world need not consist of a Coke Cola corporation that covets water. In villages across the world Coke owns all the water so that locals are dying of thirst – “All you who are thirsty, come to the water!” Our world need not consist of statesmen who use food as weapons. Across Syria President Assad is blocking food aid to his own people who are starving to death – “You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat.” Our world need not consist of warriors trained to kill. Across nations of the world, Ukraine, Gaza, Iraq, soldiers are flying over innocent people and bombing them into bits and pieces – “Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” Some problems seem so large, too large, too much for us to do anything about them and our hearts ache even more. We are paralyzed amidst such great need of so many people. We are like the disciples in today’s Gospel. They were paralyzed when they saw 5,000 men and so many more women and children aching to be satisfied. Like them, we tend to think there is not much we can do. We think that we don’t have enough of what is needed. But then a Christ emerges, people clear about the action that is needed and gathering the resources needed. We become the helping hands – “There is no need for them to go away; give them something yourselves.” We are the leaders we have been waiting for.
We always have enough because we have each other and together any ache is satisfied. Sip by sip, loaf by loaf, peacemaker by peacemaker our ache for the world to be different than it is is satisfied.
Prayer: Dear Giver, give us generous hearts.
Question: Who are the family members, friends, and community folks I need to thank for easing my ache?
August 3, 2014 Gospel Matthew 14:13-21 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time