St. Gerald

Wednesday of the First week of Advent

Commentary of the day
Cardinal John Henry Newman : "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd"

Reading

Is 25,6-10.
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!" For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, but Moab will be trodden down as a straw is trodden down in the mire.


Ps 23(22),1-3.3-4.5.6.
A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name. you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.
You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.


Mt 15,29-37.
Moving on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way." The disciples said to him, "Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" "Seven," they replied, "and a few fish." He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets full.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest, Religious founder, theologian
Twelve meditations and intercessions for Good Friday, 9-10

"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd"

Inspired Scripture has told us: “You have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent, For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made… But you spare all things because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls,” (Wis 11,23ff.). Now see what it is that causes him to come down from heaven and gives him the name of Jesus…: “You are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins,” (Mt 1,21). It is his great love for men, his compassion for sinners: this is what causes him to come down from heaven. So why should he consent to veil his glory within a mortal body had he not ardently desired to save those who had gone astray and lost all hope of salvation? He himself says: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost,” (Lk 19,10). Rather than leave us to perish, he has done all that an all-powerful God could do according to his divine attributes: he has given his own self. And he loves us all to such an extent that he wanted to give his life for each one of us, as absolutely, as fully as if there had been but one, single person to save. He is our best of friends…, the only true friend, and he has exercised all possible means to ensure that we should love him in return. He refuses us nothing so long as we consent to love him… O my Lord and Saviour, in your arms I rest secure. If you keep me, I have nothing to fear; but if you abandon me I have nothing left to hope for. I have no idea what will happen to me as I await my death; I know nothing of what is to come; but I entrust myself to you… I lean entirely on you since you know what is good for me. As for me, I do not know.