8/2/20: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Only Proper Response to another Person

One of the things that we notice in the story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish is the difference between the attitudes of the disciples and Jesus towards the hungry crowds. To the disciples, they are a burden. They say to Jesus, "Dismiss the crowds so they can find food for themselves." But to Jesus the people are not a problem to be solved (or done away with). But rather they need to be loved. This reminds us of a maxim of St. John Paul II: "The only proper response to another human person is love." Let's ask the Lord to help us always to treat people not as a burden to us but with love.