The Scripture readings of today--Isaiah 30: 19-21, 23-26,Psalm 147 and Matthew 9: 35-10: 1, 5a, 6-8--all speak of the goodness of our God, God's closeness, God's compassion, love and generosity! In Isaiah, the prophet, delivers the following positive message: "...no more will you weep; [God] will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself , but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, while from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: 'This is the way; walk in it,' when you would turn to the right or to the left."
And how true! Young and old, children and adults, agencies around the world, are delivering food to those who have no way to provide a meal for their families, given the loss of jobs due to the pandemic. Thousands of people are involved in developing a vaccine and getting it to us! Over and beyond, thousands of people are protecting our streets and homes against criminals or are in the process of apprehending those who are cheating us of our livelihood in some way!
In the Gospel of today, "at the sight of the crowds, [Jesus'] heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." This day, God looks upon us here in the U.S. and around the world and is "moved with pity" for us because we, too, are "troubled" by what we see around us. God not only weeps but acts, choosing persons to address our needs and bring relief to us and asks us, in turn, to do the same for others, giving us the means to do so! Yes, our God is a compassionate God, a loving God, a caring God and, through each one of us, is acting to bring relief to one another and to those beyond our own families and communities.
Over and above all that, Isaiah says: God "will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, and the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant. ...[Y]our flock will be given pasture and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows. The oxen and the asses that till the ground will eat silage tossed to them... Upon every high mountain and lofty hill there will be streams of running water...." Not only his people but plants and animals and soil receive the blessings of our God. And so, in the responsorial psalm of today's liturgy, we pray: "Praise the Lord, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him."
For what blessings in your life today will you praise God?
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