Tuesday 5th January – Tuesday after Epiphany Sunday

Reflection: Mark 6: 34-44

RECOGNIZING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

One of the cardinal attributes of a loving person is his or her ability to recognise and respond to the needs of others even when his or her assistance is yet to be sought. This is a virtue that is most needed in our time when many of us are so caught up in advancing our own interests that we easily fail to appreciate and possibly give a helping hand to the needy around us even when it is in our ability to do so.

Much as today’s first reading expressly calls us to a renewed expression of love for our neighbours; Christ in today’s gospel reading goes to show us a practical demonstration of this. Reading from verse 30 of the gospel reading, we would see that our Lord Jesus Christ with His disciples sought to have some rest ( after much ministration) before they were met by the crowd at the sea shore. Despite this, out of His love, he saw to both the spiritual and physical needs of the crowd that sought after Him.

As we journey through this year, an inevitable fact is that we would be faced by different needs at different points in time. However, our ability to care for the needs of our neighbour when it is in our power to do so, despite having our personal challenges goes a long way to affirm the genuineness of our faith. Dearest in Christ, let us make that commitment to being of help to at least someone each day of this year and we would be surprised at how God will bless us in return ( Proverbs 11:25; Luke 6: 36).

PRAYER- Please grant me oh Lord a compassionate and generous heart that I may be of help to my neighbours in need! Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH – What significance do the poor have for Christians?

Love for the poor must be in every age the distinguishing mark of Christians. The poor deserve not just a few alms; they have a claim to justice. For Christians there is a special obligation to share their goods. Our example in love for the poor is Christ.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3) – that is the first sentence in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. There is material, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual poverty. Christians must look after the needy of this earth with great consideration, love, and perseverance. After all, on no other point will they be evaluated by Christ so decisively as on their way of treating the poor: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”

HIDE A TREASURE – “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5: 7 RSV-CE

Today’s Readings – 1 John 4: 7-10; Psalm 72: 1-4, 7-8; Mark 6: 34-44