“If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor……… Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”

Gospel Text: (Mt 4:12-17, 23-25)

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee. 
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet 
might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people. 
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them. 
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

 

Reflect, today, upon those who fall into this category in your own life.  Who is it that is hurting and in need?  Who is it that you may be tempted to judge and criticize?  Who is it who is broken, sad, confused, misguided or spiritually ill?  Perhaps there are people who are physically ill that God is calling you to reach out to, or perhaps it’s someone who is mentally, morally or spiritually ill in some way.  How do you treat them?  Today’s Gospel calls us to follow the example of these first disciples of Jesus by seeking out those in need and looking for ways to bring them to Jesus, the Divine Healer.  Commit yourself to this act of compassion and you will be blessed for your goodness.