Jesus Draws A Crowd

 

 Jesus really knew how to draw a crowd. 

Wherever He went, people would come by the hundreds and thousands from the surrounding towns to hear Him speak. Everyone who came had a different reason for seeking Him out. Some had heard about Him from their neighbors and wanted to see Him for themselves. Many sick people would seek Him out, sometimes carried in the arms of their loved ones, in hopes that He would cure them. Many wanted to see what miracles He might perform. Others were hungry for the word of God and sought Jesus out because, as today’s gospel tells us, he spoke with authority. 

Whatever their reason, everyone who encountered Him had the same reaction- amazement. Jesus was unlike anyone they had ever met and He never failed to make a life-changing impression on everyone He came in contact with. 

 Though it has been two thousand years since He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Jesus continues to draw a crowd. Every Sunday, throughout the entire world, over a billion Christians are gathering to worship. Like us, they are listening to His word and are continuing to have their hearts moved by His teaching. Like us, they will have a personal encounter with the Risen Lord through Holy Communion. In parishes all over the globe, Jesus continues to reach out to the lonely, the broken hearted, the sick and the anguished with His life-changing message.

 Jesus drew crowds for one simple reason. The people whose lives He changed told other people about Him and they came to see for themselves. As this Sunday’s gospel tells us, “His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.” Rather than keep His mighty deeds to themselves, they witnessed to others about what Jesus did for them. 

 The same is true today. If Jesus has changed your heart, if He has made a difference in your life, then tell someone about it. Do not keep it to yourself. Let others know how your burden has been lifted, how your eyes have been opened, and how your fears have been relieved. It could be that someone in your family or someone you work with is suffering in the same way you did. They cannot find the peace and joy that only comes in Jesus if we keep what He has done for us to ourselves