Devotional Thoughts for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday 30th June 2013
Reading: From the Gospel according to St. Matthew 15: 32- 39.
Dear and Respected Brethren
By the grace of God we are entering the 6th Sunday after Pentecost. Last week we have meditated on the Holy Scriptural portion where the incident where our Lord had fed more than five thousand men with five loaves of bread and the Apostles could gather 12 baskets full of the fragments of the left over bread. The number 12 is very unique in all senses. A year is separated into 12 months. There were 12 tribes in the chosen people of God Almighty, Lord Jesus chose 12 Apostles. Likewise we come across a number ‘7’ in today’s reading while mentioning the number of loaves of bread utilized by our Lord to feed more than four thousand men. . As we all know, there are seven days in a week. There are 7 steps of priesthood (from sub-Deacon till the priesthood) before one would become a priest. The main sacraments are 7 in number. The number of Deacons selected and appointed by the blessed Apostles for the first time in the early Church was also seven. Feeding mission was a part of our Lord’s public mission but only two incidents are mentioned in the Holy Bible, feeding 5000 men and 4000 men, Seven days and 12 months would make an year complete. God Almighty provides the food for His children on all days of a year and the same process would be repeated year after year. Only for this simple reason the description of the feeding mission would have been limited with these two.
The first verse of today’s reading vouch for the compassion of God Almighty upon His creation. The Psalmist addresses Lord God: But thou o Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (Psalms 86:15) Though these truths were uttered by the Prophet and the King people were not able to grasp its full meaning. One, who was lucky enough to accept Lord Jesus as their Lord and God, could easily realize and experience it in its full meaning. One who is united to our Lord, by accepting His life giving blood and flesh, it would be easy. It is indeed great to realize and to witness the compassion and graciousness of Lord God. We all know this fact, but often we do not uphold them. Let us listen to the Psalmist, who confirms that our Lord God is: as a father who pities his children so the Lord pities them that fear him.” Two words from this verse (Psalms 103: 13) are really worth listening. 1) pities 1)fear. All human parents long to do good for their children and as it is a truth there is no need for an explanation. A good father would not deny to satisfy his child’s needs as far as his capability. Our father in heaven is taking care to send his mercy and compassion to one and all of us alike. He provides His mercy for the God fearing as well as others who have no faith. The second word fear is not in our midst. Our farefathers had a saying in Malayalam “Either one must fear God or at least one must have scare about men.” The modern man forgets these two. Our survival itself is also on His mercy and compassion. We all know that we will have to take oxygen in and leave out carbon dioxide. How many of us think about God’s magnanimous mercy and compassion behind the proper functioning of the breathing system precisely like the functioning of our internal organs? Let us really well that without His mercy we cannot survive and move around as we wish. Let us praise Him who cares and blesses us every day. We have to inculcate a habit of fearing Him. Let us worship Him and adore Him as much as we could.
Again we read about God’s mercy and compassion in Psalms 111.4, St. Mark 1: 41, Hebrews 2: 17, 4: 18, and 5:2. Let our meditations re-nould our life styles in accordance with the wish and desire of God Almighty. Let us sincerely long to have everlasting co-existence with our Lord God. Let us not forget to accept our mistakes and beseech, “O Lord, if thou will, you could make me clean.” It is sure and certain that we will have to keep ourselves clean, noble and holy. Let our spiritual lives be meaningful.
May God bless us all.
Jose Kurian Puliyeril
Kottayam.