Saturday after Ash Wednesday - February 25, 2023

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 Isaiah 58:9b-14 Luke 5:27-32

“…If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light shall rise for you in the darkness and the gloom shall become for you like midday.” 

When I was a young child, I would always become emotional when I would see the homeless on the street. The image of a person holding up a sign asking for money or food and not understanding why someone cannot simply have shelter whenever they needed it was difficult for a young boy to comprehend. One day I saw a young woman and her child on the street, and I asked my Mom to stop the car and give them money. She obliged, but I also remember to this day the words she told me. “Nick, money certainly helps people in these situations. But sometimes even just a smile or a simple ‘hello’ to them means just as much.”

As I’ve gotten older, the passage above from Isaiah speaks to me a little differently than it would have 30 years ago. While there are certainly people who need bread to fulfill their hunger, there are also people that need a different kind of bread to be satisfied. Many of us have acquaintances that need the warmth of a hug or a simple ‘hello.’ Many just need the act of us stopping in our tracks, looking them in the eye, and genuinely asking how they are doing. The simple gesture of a random phone call or text to someone we haven’t spoken with in a while can mean more than we think.

In the busy lives that we all lead, sometimes it’s easy to forget that the people that need to be satisfied the most are often in our own home. My four young children need their own form of satisfaction daily! As we embark on this Lenten season, it is important to remain vigilant to those who need the attention and love that all humans deserve. Whether it pertains to a stranger on the street, a long-lost friend or a family member, there is no such thing as a small act of kindness – satisfaction of the afflicted comes in all forms. 

Q: What are some of the ways I can “satisfy the afflicted” this Lenten season?


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