THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Tuesday in the 14^th week in Ordinary time, 2021

Memorial of St. Maria Gorreti

Gen 32: 23-33

Ps 17

Matt 9: 2-38

Compassion

Dear friends in Christ, today is the memorial of St Maria Gorreti. She was just eleven years and eight months old when she died in defence of her purity, stabbed fourteen times by Alessandro. Even while in the pains of death, she forgave her murderer and expressed her wish, that he will join her in heaven. Maria was canonised in 1950 in the presence of her mother. She had great love for purity, she was kind, pious and devoted to the Eucharist and Mary. We pray for a renewed love for purity in todays’ world.

Jesus is the face of the compassion and mercy of God. Time and again, in his ministry, Jesus went out of his way, to attend to the needs of those who were most vulnerable and most in need of help. To further satisfy that need, he will hand over the ministry to more people who can meet the needs of every age and time.

Today’s gospel (Matthew 9:32-38) completes a section of various miracles worked by Jesus as compiled by the evangelist. In it Jesus worked another miracle that got the people talking. A mute demoniac was brought to him and he sent the demon out of the man that the man spoke. His power of speech was restored to him. It was a double miracle which got the people marveled as they said, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” Unfortunately, the Pharisees accused him of casting out demons by the prince of demons. That looks more of a contradiction. Matthew however did not report any response from Jesus to this. When we have done our duties, we must also ignore the idle comments of those who unnecessarily criticise what we do. Jesus we were told worked many other miracles and “continued his teaching in the synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…” 

Jesus’ actions in many of the situations Matthew presents to us, was out of compassion. To have compassion is ‘to suffer with.’ To basically bear the burden of the other, to enter into the suffering of the needy and so struggle with the person to resolve the problem. In the case of Jesus, we were told, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” He then realised that there is the need for more hands to harvest for the kingdom. “The laborers are few.” Each one of us can become the agent of that compassion. We have seen such misery around us that we feel, we are powerless at changing the situation. When that happens, it is very easy to lose the compassionate part of us. In spite of our own challenges, we must enter into the sufferings of others and help the way we can.

Let us pray: God of mercy and compassion, look with pity upon me. Give me the grace to become an instrument of your compassion in the world. Amen. 

+Remain blessed