God''s Generosity and Concern for All

In today’s Gospel, Mark 8: 1-10, Jesus is moved with compassion for the crowd. The people have been with him for three days. His concern is that if they go home without a meal theymight collapse on the way. Notice, that no one from the crowd had requested a meal. Jesus noticed and responds out of the depth of his concern. From seven loaves, He feeds the four thousand people and has some left over. What a lesson for us; namely, that if we wait upon the Lord we, too, will be saved. God notices and is concerned and will respond lovingly and with an abundance in response to the unmet need. God never abandons those He loves and He loves all of us. He knows our needs. He is aware of our hunger, a hunger for justice and right, a hunger of love and belonging, a hunger for right relationships, for understanding and forgiveness, for meaning and purpose, for sustenance and warmth, for protection and safety. Sometimes, instead of waiting upon the Lord and bringing our hopes and fears, our needs and longings to the Lord we take it upon ourselves to make things happen without divine help, as Jeroboam did in the first reading. Made King following his father Solomon’s demise, Jeroboam begins to fear that the other kingdoms will return to David’s house and seek his death. So he creates two golden calves as gods and the people, with him, fall into idolatry. When I am afraid, what gods do I turn to instead of waiting upon the Lord, who has a future full of hope for me? Do I take things into my own hands when what I think should be happening is not happening fast enough, such as a reconciliation with a family member, an acknowledgement of injustice, the righting of a wrong? “By waiting and by calm you shall be saved; in quiet and in trust your strength lies,” says Isaiah (Is 15:30). Do I truly believe that?