Saturday: 5^th Week in Ordinary Time-B:

I Reading: 1Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34: Jeroboam made two golden calves.

Gospel: Mark 8:1-10: They ate as much as they wanted

The Need for Spiritual Food, Compassion and Evangelism

Jesus was doing two things in this event. First, he demonstrated his Messiahship and second, he was teaching his disciples that they were to minister to the needy, no matter who they were. Jesus saved all not only for the Jews but even to the Gentiles regardless of any race so the disciples would minister to all.

Jesus revealed that the whole world has three great needs:

1.     The need for spiritual food (v.1)

a.     Crowds followed Jesus

b.     Crowds hungered spiritually; had gone without food

2.     The need for compassion (v.2-8)

a.     Compassion involves seeing needs

b.     Compassion involves the use of resources

c.      Compassion involves orderly arrangement

d.     Compassion involves giving all, taking all and using all to meet needs

e.      Compassion involves thankfulness to God

f.       Compassion involves saving and preserving

3.     The need for evangelism, for moving on (v.9)

Thought: Looking at and observing people are essential in order to see need and seeing need is essential to stir compassion. Compassion aroused by seeing and observing or studying the needs of people. If we never expose ourselves to the needs of the people, we will never experience compassion.