Sunday, February 2 (January 20), 2025
32nd Sunday after Pentecost
1Cor. 1:10-18; Mt. 14:14-22

Before the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 men, Lord’s disciples asked Him to send the people away and let them buy food, but the Lord said: “They need not depart; give ye them to eat” [Mt. 14:16].  Let us learn these words by heart, and any time the enemy would suggest that we refuse anyone’s appeal for help, let us say on behalf of the Lord Himself: “They need not depart; give ye them to eat”, ─ and give whatever help we can find.

How often would the enemy hinder our desire to do good by hinting that this particular man might not be worthy of our help, ─ however, the Lord did not review the merits of those who were sitting in front of Him: He simply fed all of them, even though, of course, not everyone among those people were equally devoted to Him; some of them, perhaps, would shout a little later: “Away with Him, crucify Him!” [Jn. 19:15].

Such also is the whole divine providence for the world: “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” [Mt. 5:45].   Let us implore Him to help us be merciful, even to the least extent “as our Father also is merciful” [Lk. 6:36].

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