Homily: August 2, 2026, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (God Satisfies)

 "When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself."

Most of us know what it is like to lose someone we love. Death leaves a deep void in our hearts. Even if we are surrounded by family and friends, we can still feel lonely. Yet it is such times when we need time to be alone, to remember, to grieve, to make sense, and to move on.

That is exactly what we see in today's Gospel. In his divinity, Jesus knew that John the Baptist's martyrdom was part of the Father's plan. But in his humanity, Jesus, like any of us, experienced loss and sorrow.

Although biblically there is no mention that Jesus and John grew up together, there was already an intimate encounter when both were in the wombs of their mothers. During the visitation of the blessed virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, baby John in-womb ‘leapt for joy’ when Elizabeth heard the sound of Mary’s coming, carrying baby Jesus in her womb. To me, this shows there was a special connection between the prophet and the Messiah, even at that moment before birth.

John’s death also signified that Jesus’ own death was near. Jesus knew He would soon be put to death too. 

So, the time away in a boat was probably a retreat for Him to mourn, to pray and to prepare for His own death. 

But soon the crowds found him.

Most of us would become irritated when our personal space and time got disturbed. But St. Matthew recorded: "His heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick."

This is Jesus. This is our God.

He sees the sufferings of His people. Losing John to an unjust death did not close his heart; it opened it even more. He healed the sick. He comforted the dejected. He taught the lost. Then, He fed the hungry. He did not just provide enough, He gave them more than enough, He fed them till they were satisfied and still, there were leftovers.

His time was short. He wanted His people to know Him, hear Him, and to see the revelations of His Father’s love for them. He wanted His people to come to His Father for all their needs, physical and spiritual.

The first reading from the prophet Isaiah echoes the invitation from God:

"All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat. Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk."

God continues, "I will renew with you the everlasting covenant."

God wants to connect and re-connect, He invites and re-invites, He wants to satisfy every hunger of the human heart. He wants to heal our wounds, forgive our sins, restore our hope, and renew our lives. And God is showing all these through the miracles, the love and compassion of Jesus’ ministry.

This Sunday, Jesus invites each one of us to come to God with our emptiness, our grief, our failures, our fears, and our hunger. He is never tired of welcoming us. He is never tired of forgiving us. He is never tired of restoring us.

Come back to God, through Jesus. He is the way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Him.

The same Jesus who looked upon the crowd and was moved to pity and compassion, still looks upon each one of us today with the same love.

Let us follow Jesus to wherever He goes, He will feed us, He will fill us, stay close to Him and we will be satisfied. Amen.