Matthew 15: 29-37
After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Saving the Broken Pieces
Jesus cares about the broken pieces. After the miraculous feeding, the disciples “took up the broken pieces” of bread. Before the miraculous feeding, Jesus cured “the lame, the maimed, the blind, and the mute”, i.e. the broken pieces of society. In other words, Jesus valued both the broken pieces of bread and the broken pieces of society.
I can easily connect this with my spiritual life. I am, at times, the blind, the wounded, and the voiceless. In that brokenness, I come to Jesus. He both heals and nourishes me.
Sadly, there are times when this brokenness causes me to withdraw in desolation. I hide in the shadow of this mountain of miraculous healing and nourishment.
It’s a comfort to know that even in my darkest isolation, Jesus is saving some broken pieces of bread to nourish the broken pieces of my life. Am I ready to come out of hiding?
—Scott D. Gilfillan is a deacon in the Diocese of Charlotte and the founder and executive director of the Font of Mercy, a non-profit focused on advancing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, remind us of your closeness even when we feel broken and far away. Strengthen us with the words of the psalmist: “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18). Draw us close to your mountain of nourishment and healing. Amen.
—Scott D. Gilfillan
Pray with the Pope
The Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intentions Brought to you by Apostleship of Prayer the first Friday of each month.