Jesus filled with compassion

XVIth Sunday Ordinary Time “B” Mission Appeal San Franciso July 21st, 2024 Mark 6, 30-34 The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. Today’s Gospel, though short really is of two parts. The first is an invitation to the disciples to rest, and the second is Jesus’ compassion for the people. If you remember last Sunday’s gospel Jesus had sent out the Apostles two by two to proclaim the gospel message of repentance. The Apostles came back and shared with Jesus and one another everything that they had done, so Jesus invites them to come away and rest. To make a retreat if you will. They then get to that place of retreat, but they aren’t able to rest because there are so many people who are still in great need. Jesus is filled with compassion for the people, and he begins to care for them. This past week an important event was held in the Midwest, no not in Milwaukee, Indianapolis! The first National eucharistic congress in the United States in 83 years, Catholics gathered from the four corners of the US really throughout the world to celebrate and adore Jesus present in the Eucharist. This great gift of Jesus to us his church, his very self-present in the bread and wine. Today’s Gospel says that Jesus and the apostles didn’t even have time to sit down and eat because the crowd was so vast, and his heart was moved with pity for the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus’ heart continues to be moved with pity for each and everyone of us. Just like in that deserted place in Galilee 2000 years ago here in San Francisco today Jesus is moved with compassion for us. And Jesus responds in the same that he did that day. It says Jesus had no time to eat, but instead he gave the people something to eat. Today’s Gospel is the preparation for the multiplication of the loaves and fish, when Jesus feed 5000. Jesus compassion is so great, his love so profound he wants to take care of us. He feed the 5000 with the loaves and fish. As I said Jesus has the same compassion for us today. As he feed the people of Galilee that day, he feeds his people today. But the food he gives us is much better than mere bread and fish. He gives us his body and blood. He gives us his very self in the Form of the Eucharist. Whenever I think of the Eucharist, I think of a woman I meet when I was a missionary in the Amazon Jungle of Brazil: Dona Vado. Where the Redemptorists work in the Amazon Jungle is huge area. We have several large parishes with territory about the size of the state of Connecticut. The parishes have a city or county seat and then hundreds of chapels spread out along the river. My parish Santa Ana was in the city of Coari. I was pastor for 130 church communities spread out along the different rivers that flowed into the Amazon. There are no roads in the Amazon Jungle, the only way to travel is by boat. We have a parish boat, and we would travel up and down the rivers celebrating masses and the other sacraments. This particularly day we were traveling up the Upper Copea river and we were stopping at the communities along the way inviting people to the community where we would be celebrating mass. Often times, the people would get into our boat, tie their canoe behind us and travel upriver to the chapel. We stopped at Dona Vado’s community and announced the mass and asked if anyone was coming to mass. A young boy was at the river’s edge, and he said that everyone was out working in the fields, no one could come to mass. So, we continued on to the chapel. As I was celebrating mass about the time of the offertory two older women entered the chapel, Dona Vado and her sister. When they entered the chapel, my heart sank because I knew they came from a community far down the river. After mass I apologized to Dona Vado and I explained what happened. She said, “Don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault. I already gave my nephew a good calling out.” I then asked, “Dona vado, how did you get to mass today?” “Paddling,” She replied. She had paddled for five hours up the Amazon River in the bright sun. I said, “Dona Vado, that’s just too dangerous. With the crocodiles, anacondas and piranhas you took too big a risk. You shouldn’t have come today.” “Too big a risk!” she snorted. The risk my sister and I took was nothing like the risk that my Jesus took to be here for me on this altar. My sacrifice was nothing like his sacrifice.” She added, “You only come here once a year and I thought, if I don’t come today, I will have to wait another year before I can receive my Jesus and I can’t be away from my Lord for that long.” When I celebrate the Eucharist, I think of Dona Vado’s great love for the Eucharist. I was supposed to be the minister bringing Jesus to her, but she taught me a great lesson that day. We are blessed here in San Francisco to have this beautiful cathedral and so many churches in this city. We can get on a streetcar, hop on the bus drive or walk to mass. It is easy for us to take the Eucharist for granted. Maybe that is why so many of our churches are empty on Sunday mornings. I thank Fr. Kevin Kennedy your pastor and Rector of the Cathedral for this opportunity to preach on the Redemptorists Missions in Brazil. And I thank you for your generosity. In the Gospel Jesus took pity on the people because they were like Sheep without a shepherd. Thank you for taking pity on Dona Vado and thousands of others who continue to live along the banks of the Amazon River. Your generosity today will allow them to be feed the bread of life. You are helping Jesus to continue to share his compassion and love.