In the Gospel text from this past Sunday, we hear how Jesus sees a crowd of hungry people, is concerned about them, and asks his disciples to give them something to eat. The crowd gathered around Jesus because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
The crowd follows Jesus because they experience something in his presence
that they do not know anywhere else. He notices that the people are physically hungry from their journey and wants to feed them. But he also knows that many have gathered because they experience a deep hunger and yearning. The physical hunger is a manifestation of what is going on in their hearts and souls.
We, too, experience physical hunger—we know what that feels like. Often, however, we may not be in touch with the deep hunger
within us. We live in a fast-paced world, and information is flying at us from many different sources every day. We are so focused on what is happening around us—and coming at us—that we can quickly become out of touch with our hearts and souls.
Jesus is ministering to the spiritual hunger in the hearts of the people who follow him. They hungered for good news, compassion, healing, and someone who would listen to them and
their struggles.
How in touch are you with the hunger, the yearning of your own heart and soul? St. Ignatius Loyola tells us that we discover God’s presence and his invitation to us in the hunger of our hearts and souls.
What is your heart and soul hungry for today? Can you name and talk to Jesus about your most profound yearnings? Take time today to listen to your hungry
heart and talk to God about what you discover.
Reflections by Russell Pollitt SJ
