My heart is moved with pity for the crowd

4 DECEMBER (Mt 15,29-37)

Compassion is in God an irresistible force that drives him to love his creature, the one made by him in his image and likeness, with an infinite love, without respite, rest, continuously and without ever tiring. We can compare the compassion of God to the fire that attacks the straw. It never stops until everything has been reduced to ashes. The one of God for man is an irresistible love.

When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the farther they went from me, Sacrificing to the Baals and burning incense to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks; Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not know that I was their healer. He shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be his king; The sword shall begin with his cities and end by consuming his solitudes. Because they refused to repent, their own counsels shall devour them. His people are in suspense about returning to him; and God, though in unison they cry out to him, shall not raise them up. How could I give you up, O Ephraim, or deliver you up, O Israel? How could I treat you as Admah, or make you like Zeboiim? My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred. I will not give vent to my blazing anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again; For I am God and not man, the Holy One present among you; I will not let the flames consume you (Hos 11,1-9).

The Scripture reveals us that man is so stubborn before this love, as to come to the point of almost tiring his God and Lord. Sin causes ensures that man gets tired of his God, but he also comes to the point of tiring the Lord, but only for a moment. Then, love overcomes.

Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob, for you grew weary of me, O Israel. You did not bring me sheep for your holocausts, nor honor me with your sacrifices. I did not exact from you the service of offerings, nor weary you for frankincense. You did not buy me sweet cane for money, nor fill me with the fat of your sacrifices; Instead, you burdened me with your sins, and wearied me with your crimes. It is I, I, who wipe out, for my own sake, your offenses; your sins I remember no more (Is 43,23-25).

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palms of my hands I have written your name; your walls are ever before me. Your rebuilders make haste, as those who tore you down and laid you waste go forth from you (Is 49,14-17).

Jesus comes, he is born in the flesh, to realize visibly all this great Father’s mercy. Jesus is the historical, visible, tangible and graspable compassion of the Father. It is the divine compassion that becomes entirely human compassion .

Moving on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over – seven baskets full.

As Christ is the eternal and divine compassion of the Father in his flesh, so every disciple of Jesus, since he is his real body, must be the visible, tangible and graspable compassion of Lord Jesus. The Father and Christ are one compassion. Jesus and the disciple are one compassion and love. It is in this unity of compassion: Father, Jesus and disciple that the true salvation of man takes place.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us the compassion of Jesus.