While Jesus was teaching on two occasions in far off places, he became aware that the people listening to him had traveled a long distance, and they were hungry. He was attentive to their needs and provided food for them.
Sometimes in our reaching out to others with the Christian message, we have not become aware of the hunger of those to whom we are preaching the “good news.” Are we aware of the hunger of the people in our lives, the hunger of the people in our community, the hunger of people from around the world? Sometimes we remain unaware until we take time to listen to their stories. When we listen, we realize that their hunger can be physical, mental or spiritual.
To bring Jesus to them, we need to be attentive to their needs on many levels. This might require feeding them, being aware of their psychological needs, before we are able to support them in their spiritual growth. It also means getting in touch with our own hunger. It is in recognizing our own poverty that we become ready to make the God in Jesus central in our lives.
- How aware are you of your own hunger?
- What happens inside you when you feed the hungry?
- What is the message of Jesus’ story about the good Samaritan?
O God, help me be attentive to others needs as I become aware of my own hunger for you.