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Gospel Reading for January 06, 2026 – Mark 6: 34-44
COMPASSION
When Jesus 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. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.”But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
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“When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
It is so important for sheep to have a shepherd, otherwise, they get lost and wander aimlessly and become vulnerable to predators, to disease, to hunger and all kinds of danger. So, this was how Jesus saw the vast crowd. He saw how much they needed him and pitied them. But, it was not enough to pity them. He showed COMPASSION by action. He gave all his time and energy teaching them (Imagine, that time there were no sound systems, so great effort was needed to speak to a large crowd). And it was not enough to teach. He cared that they would not go home hungry, so he fed them. His compassion prompted him to multiply the 5 loaves and 2 fish.
It is not enough to FEEL pity. We need to SHOW it for it to be called COMPASSION.
Lord Jesus, may we be like you when we see people who are in need!
