Opening Prayer

God, open my eyes with your divine light, bringing wisdom and guidance during this prayer, bringing clarity to my mind and heart.

Scripture

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 blind, the maimed, 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.

Reflection

There is a term in Ignatian spirituality called Cura Personalis, a Latin term meaning “Care of the Whole Person”. In this passage of scripture, we see Jesus saying, “I have compassion for the crowd” – for all those who have been with him for three days. In a similar vein, I attended a three-day retreat coming up to Christmas, and my friends raised their eyebrows when I mentioned it. For them, it seemed like a luxury; for me, it was a necessity to help me cope with all the fuss over Christmas. One question asked by my spiritual director was, “What do you desire?” I replied, “Enough money for Santa Claus”. My answer was received in silence. Perhaps something more spiritual was expected. But after the retreat, I can say that my desire was fulfilled. Because of this, I recognised God’s provision and care in my life. It drew me closer to God, as I trusted in His care, and I gave thanks for Jesus’ ministering to my whole person, both materially and spiritually. 

What do you desire right now?  Consider all your needs – mind, body, and spirit – as you speak to the One who cares.

Reflection Prayer

Lord, you know my every need – body, mind, and spirit.
Help me to bring all of myself before you, without hiding or pretending.
Feed my hunger, heal any hurt, and quiet my heart.
Teach me to trust your care in every part of my life.

Concluding Prayer    

Compassion does not mean pity
Compassion goes a long way
You might be the one offering a kind word or gesture today
While tomorrow someone else might show you the way.

– Ana Monnar (Compassion)