Cannibals?

Lord, please forgive me if I tend to judge others. Give me Your eyes and heart that I may be more loving towards others. Amen.

1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 89:20,21-22,27-28 Mark 2:23-28

On October 13, 1972, an Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the snowcovered Andes Mountains. It had 45 passengers, including members of the rugby union team and their families and friends. A quarter of the passengers died instantly while others died from the cold and injuries. The survivors agreed to ration whatever food and water they found on the plane to last them until they were rescued, which would hopefully be soon.

But days turned into months without rescue. Their meager food supply was consumed. They were in a quandary. The only available food in sight were the carcasses of their fellow passengers. It seemed unthinkable, but that was the only thing they could eat to survive. After much deliberation and prayers, they finally gave in and ate from their friends’ bodies. More than two months later, 16 survivors were rescued.

In an ordinary situation, this would be cannibalism.

But the Lord doesn’t judge our actions alone; He sees what’s in our heart. He didn’t condemn David when he ate the consecrated bread the high priests offered at the temple. As Pope Francis said, “Judgment belongs only to God, to Him alone!”