Carmelite homily for Saturday, February 15, 2020 – Lectionary 334 (Mark 8:1-10)
Last week I talked about Therese and there was a sister in that convent no one could get along with, so Therese finally said, “I am resolved to do for this sister what I would do for the person I love the most.” What was it that Therese did? But smile! Every time she saw the sister – whether in chapel, or at recreation, or at work duties – she smiled. Changed the sister, small thing, changed the sister, changed the convent, changed Therese, changed us. Because we read about this and are inspired today. One smile! I think that parallels perfectly what’s going on in today’s Gospel. Jesus and the disciples face this big crowd. Jesus asks, ‘what kind of food do you have?’ and they say, ‘seven loaves.’ What is seven loaves?! It’s like that smile – it’s enough. That’s the call of today’s Gospel. Whatever you have on hand – whether a smile, or a loaf, or whatever – share that. That will change everything.