DIVINE ATTITUDE TO HUMAN LONELINESS
(Mark 6:34-44)
The Disciples of Jesus came to
Him saying: This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late; send them away,
to go into the country and villages round about to buy themselves something to
eat. But He answered them: you, give them something to eat.
We see human attitude towards the
lonely, the neglected, the unloved and the hopeless. We send them away, build
walls to keep them off, we are less concerned, we do not feel for them. It was
night and cold, it was dangerous and fearful, yet the disciples never thought
of what would happen to these men when they are left to go alone without a
guide, without light, with empty stomach in that place of loneliness. All they
cared about was to send them away 'Ka nri ha zuoro ha' (to avoid their
cutting their normal ration of bread). That is human attitude.
The divine attitude to human
loneliness is an interesting one. We started seeing it in Genesis when God saw
how lonely the man was and made a helpmate for him. Today, God, in Christ,
teaches the disciples this divine attitude towards human loneliness. He says:
You, give them something to eat. Meaning you get involved in the other person's
matters. You, stop being selfish. You, stop pushing your wife/ husband away by
your attitudes. Are you in the midst of 'friends' and yet lonely? Do you leave
that person that lives close to you lonely by your character?
Feed them with something good.
Feed them with care, feed them with love, feed them with gentleness, feed them
by sharing, yes share your time, share your gifts, share your privileges, share
your connectedness positively.
The disciples were connected to
Jesus, but instead of using their connection to draw people to God, take them
away from loneliness, take them away from frustration, save them from the
hopelessness of not knowing what to do and the embarrassment of not knowing
which way to go, they push them away.
The message of today presents to us a God who
will never abandon us, a true friend who will not allow us be put to shame, a
caring saviour whose compassion will not stand seeing us struggling alone. In
Christ, we have a God who loves us and so feeds us with the word and the
sacraments, a God who will not leave us to feel lonely.
God through the word of God
today, calls on us to look around us and see those who are in need of our help,
to heal our world of loneliness, to rid our society of suicides, to treat
others the way God treats us.
LET US PRAY
O Lord, your word had revealed to
us the difference in our ways and your ways. We are sorry for our attitudes of
pushing people away from you by our selfishness. Help us to think less of
ourselves and more of others. Comfort the lonely. Heal every injury created by
loneliness especially the injury of despair and aggression through Christ our
Lord. Amen
God bless your day (Tuesday after
Epiphany)
REV. FR. JULIAN O EKEH
Image from: douglassblvdcc.com
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