Great Compassion

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
Mark 8:1–10
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Great Compassion
Jesus sees the multitude who have been with Him for three days without food. His response is profound: “I have compassion on the crowd.” This passage reminds us of Jesus’ boundless empathy and care. He doesn’t just see a mass of people; He sees their hunger and their need. We understand that Jesus' miracles point to His divine authority and His deep, personal love for each individual. When Jesus multiplies the loaves and fishes, He shows that He provides abundantly, even in the wilderness. In our own lives, we often face spiritual and physical deserts. We may feel forgotten or overwhelmed by our needs. Yet, Jesus’ compassion extends to us today. He sees our struggles and provides for us through His Word and Sacraments, nourishing our faith and reminding us of His unwavering love. Let us trust in His provision and share His compassion with those around us, knowing that He cares deeply for all His children. May our Lord deepen our hunger for His Word and teach us to turn first to Him in every need. Then feed us with His multiple gifts.