Readings:
Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Matthew 9.35-10:1,5,6-8
Reflection:
Most of us watch the TV News every day. From the moment it comes on till its conclusion, we get ‘bad news’. Wars, bloodshed in many places of the world, shootings of innocent people and wild weather abound. Television News ratings go sky high when we see the most horrible happenings in our world. The prophet’s of doom have never had it so good! Just from time to time do we see a snippet of great virtue being lived out amid tyrannical regimes, a glimmer of hope shines within the hopelessness.
Yet, we know well that the millions of unsung heroes in this world don’t make it onto the world screen, but touch hearts in so many unseen ways.
The first Reading from the Prophet Isaiah paints a real and complete picture of ‘life’ as it is! Instead of being bogged down, depressed, and pessimistic, the author with his community sees difficulties as a ‘tuning time’ for our living of our Covenant Spirituality. Within this important process, it is our absolute understanding that God will not leave us, will not dump us. Our inner fine-tuning can enable us to cherish and be strengthened by the ultimate loving-kindness of our God.
Today’s Gospel takes up this theme; Jesus, the human face of the Father, felt sorry for the people because they were harassed and dejected. Feeling sorry is not a flimsy, shallow feeling: it is rooted in the pit of the stomach where true compassion is born.
We are called to be the human face of Jesus as we respond to the human face of Jesus in our sisters and brothers.
Kevin Walsh is a priest in the Diocese of Parramatta in Sydney. He has been formed in the Passionist tradition and Ministers to the Aged, the Sick, the Dying and the Bereaved.