As we honor Mary on this feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we pray over the gospel account of the feeding of the large crowd. Observing this hectic scene, we have no doubt where Jesus stands as he provides loaves and fish in abundance for the hungry crowd. For us in 2017, God will never be outdone in generosity. God’s gifts of life and love are overflowing each and every hour.
Take a moment in your imagination to stand at Jesus side: help him offer bread and fish to someone in the crowd. Look into that person’s eyes. What do you see? Now look into Jesus’ eyes as he reaches out towards each person…and as he reaches out to you. This is indeed the same Jesus we will walk with during the coming journey of Lent…along the way of the cross to Calvary…and towards the life and hope of Easter resurrection. Go for it!
—The Jesuit Prayer Team