Many of the native peoples came here to what we now call Mission Concepción in the 1730s. Courageous and compassionate Franciscans from Spain started these missionary-led towns. The people were hunters and gatherers. Here in South Central Texas, part of the year, it is too hot and the food supply is not constant.

The Franciscans taught them agriculture, how to grow beans and corn. Then they could store food and have food year around. If there was a lot of rain so that there was a lot of food, sometimes the people wandered back into the wild. Sometimes they went to one of the other five missionary-led towns along the San Antonio River. These are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.

I am so happy to say that this is my parish church. It is a wonderful community of compassionate people. We work with the Pax Christi Sisters to help feed over 200 families each week. We care and we show our care for immigrants. We show our care for victims of gun violence. We celebrate in the season of Our Lady of Guadalupe with Matachines who dance their prayer. We mourn with those who mourn. We remember that in 1761, the Franciscans baptized about 800 people, but those people were not immune to European diseases. In the year they baptized 800, they also buried about 600. The Franciscans must have wept because no one knew how to control the diseases.

I work part time with the Global Charter for Compassion. We try to remind people that compassion is what helps the human family survive and flourish. Margaret Mead, the anthropologist, was looking at the bones of a person who lived thousands of years ago. She noted the person could not have lived with that broken bone if a compassionate community had not brought him food and taken care of him.

When we hear about Jesus opening his eyes and opening his heart compassionately to those who were suffering and in need, we start to realize that both Jesus and the Charter for Compassion teach us that you flourish when you are more compassionate. Today, there are many universities and centers doing compassion research. Businesses, hospitals, schools, organizations, whole societies flourish when compassion is their first principle. Treat others as you would have them treat you.

In the first reading, the second reading, and the third reading, there is the idea of abundance. The Holy One in Isaiah invites the thirsty and the hungry. In the reading from Romans, there is such abundant love that danger and circumstances cannot stop the love of Christ. In the Gospel, five loaves feed five thousand people. Some scripture scholars say what Jesus did was to give people an example. When you share rather than hoard, that is a miracle. When my selfish heart opens up to others, that is a miracle.

Every day, let us live near the compassionate heart of the Holy One. When we pray alone and when we come here to Mission Concepcion and sing and pray on Sunday mornings, we start to realize that God's love is abundant.

With this abundant love, I can share my time, I can share my talent, I can share my resources. We dwell in abundance. We can share peace, joy, forgiveness, and compassion constantly.