Lord, let your love be with us, as we place our trust in you. (Psalm 33: 22)
Our faith experience is a compilation of our learnings throughout the many moments of our life. We learn by what we have heard spoken about the WORD, seeing the WORD lived as a reality, experiencing the WORD in our own life.
In Acts, the Hellenists complain because they have heard but have not seen the lived reality of compassion in caring for their widows who were neglected. The twelve consider the growing needs but are mindful of their own mission to preach which they can do only when they are fed by the WORD. They appoint others to carry forward the mission of loving presence and compassionate care of the people. They pray with and for them, and lay their hands upon them; handing on this part of the visible mission with a personal touch.
In the Gospel the disciples have heard the WORD, Jesus is present with them. They have assisted in feeding the hungry when Jesus has prayed and the little has become abundant in the blessing and sharing. In all this lived experience, Jesus walking to them on the water is more than they can comprehend. Yet the compassionate Jesus tells them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Pray today to be bold in faith, to “not be afraid,” to come to our sisters and brothers with the compassionate love of Jesus who continues to teach us today in the stillness of our hearts. Let us assist the immigrant, the lowly, the forgotten in the world with our actions and our prayers to sustain all.
Sr. Sandra Barton, C.PP.S.
O’Fallon, Mo.