From today’s Scripture: “At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”—Mt 9:36
One thing that was always difficult for me as a shy kid was eye contact. Yet, as I have grown older, I have realized how much can be communicated in a glance. Even when someone hides behind a smile, their eyes often reveal what their words do not. It is a powerful reminder that people carry more than what we can see on the surface.
Often, we avoid eye contact, not always intentionally, but because we do not have the energy to have a real connection with every person we encounter. We are subconsciously seeing problems instead of persons.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is moved with pity at the sight of the crowd. He did not avoid them or view them as a nuisance but as people in need of guidance.
One of our deepest desires is to be truly seen. Perhaps part of what makes eye contact so powerful is that it reminds us that we are more than just a face in the crowd. And we should treat each other as such.
Let us pray: Lord, grant me the grace to see my neighbors not as strangers, but as you see them: the sheep of your flock.
Today’s author is Lydia Roell, Glenmary’s executive administrative assistant.
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