16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Mk 6, 30-34 Our Christian faith is beautiful. This last Thursday the Gospel said: “learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”  The Bible gives us a glimpse into the feelings God has. This Sunday the Gospel says: When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them. Before this passage, we read that the Lord Jesus and his disciples were so busy that they did not have time even to eat.  They were also tired and Jesus wanted them to rest. God did not get upset or angry. His heart was moved with pity. He felt compassion.


Our Christian faith is beautiful because our God is like us.  He became man and experienced what we experienced.  He has feelings like us; beautiful feelings like us, but there is a huge difference in our ability and His ability to love. God loves deeply and purely. Saint Paul said, “He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” God loves everyone, good or bad. His love is free, and He does not ask anything in exchange for his love. Another instance where we can see and experience this love is in the sacrament of confession, reconciliation or forgiveness. We confess that we did wrong in the confessional.  We only have to be sorry for our sins and then God forgives and forgets our sins.  He does not punish us according to the severity of our sins. We receive a penance, but this is not the punishment our sins really merit. We should meditate on this example of how pure His love his; we should chew this thought a little.


We call God “Father.”  We also call him friend. In every Mass God gives himself to us through his Word, Body and Blood. Today we read that the Lord Jesus was moved with pity. He said to the adulterous woman who was caught in the act of adultery,  "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin anymore." 


One criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” God forgave this man, and he was a criminal.

Like these people, we too can give many examples of God’s forgiveness in our own lives. The point is that we have to understand what kind of God we believe in. I remember an altar server I met. I had a training meeting with the servers and I was talking to them about prayer and how to do it well. I told them not to worry about what to say, just try to be in touch with God.  I told them to close their eyes and pay attention to what He wants to tell them. I asked them to keep their eyes closed for a minute, remaining in silence and being alone with Him. After the minute passed I asked one of the boys who was very concentrated, “What did the Lord Jesus tell you?” The boy replied with a smiling face: He told me that he loves me.

 

Thanksgiving

 

Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I believe in you.

I trust in you because as a man you experienced everything I experience except sin.

You have pity on me in my weakness because you became weak for love of me.

I believe in you. I trust you. I thank you for your everlasting love and benevolence.

Lord, you were a father, a brother and a guide for the apostles.

You were a master sculptor, molding them into your image of goodness, humility and generosity. Do the same for me, Lord. Mold me. Sculpt me into your image. Make me one of yours. Amen. Amen.