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him%u201d, saying, %u201cYou of little faith, why did you doubt?%u201d (Mt 14:31). Nor should you be afraid. Let himdraw near and sit at your side. There may be many people we distrust, but not him. Do nothesitate because of your sins. Keep in mind that many sinners %u201ccame and sat with him%u201d (Mt 9:10),yet Jesus was scandalized by none of them. It was the religious %u00e9lite that complained and treatedhim as %u201ca glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners%u201d (Mt 11:19). When thePharisees criticized him for his closeness to people deemed base or sinful, Jesus replied, %u201cI desiremercy, not sacrifice%u201d (Mt 9:13).38. That same Jesus is now waiting for you to give him the chance to bring light to your life, toraise you up and to fill you with his strength. Before his death, he assured his disciples, %u201cI will notleave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but youwill see me%u201d (Jn 14:18-19). Jesus always finds a way to be present in your life, so that you canencounter him.JESUS%u2019 GAZE39. The Gospel tells us that a rich man came up to Jesus, full of idealism yet lacking in thestrength needed to change his life. Jesus then %u201clooked at him%u201d (Mk 10:21). Can you imagine thatmoment, that encounter between his eyes and those of Jesus? If Jesus calls you and summonsyou for a mission, he first looks at you, plumbs the depths of your heart and, knowing everythingabout you, fixes his gaze upon you. So it was when, %u201cas he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he sawtwo brothers... and as he went from there, he saw two other brothers%u201d (Mt 4:18, 21).40. Many a page of the Gospel illustrates how attentive Jesus was to individuals and above all totheir problems and needs. We are told that, %u201cwhen he saw the crowds, he had compassion forthem, because they were harassed and helpless%u201d (Mt 9:36). Whenever we feel that everyoneignores us, that no one cares what becomes of us, that we are of no importance to anyone, heremains concerned for us. To Nathanael, standing apart and busy about his own affairs, he couldsay, %u201cI saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you%u201d (Jn 1:48).41. Precisely out of concern for us, Jesus knows every one of our good intentions and small actsof charity. The Gospel tells us that once he %u201csaw a poor widow put in two small copper coins%u201d inthe Temple treasury (Lk 21:2) and immediately brought it to the attention of his disciples. Jesusthus appreciates the good that he sees in us. When the centurion approached him with completeconfidence, %u201cJesus listened to him and was amazed%u201d (Mt 8:10). How reassuring it is to know that,even if others are not aware of our good intentions or actions, Jesus sees them and regards themhighly.42. In his humanity, Jesus learned this from Mary, his mother. Our Lady carefully pondered thethings she had experienced; she %u201ctreasured them%u2026 in her heart%u201d (Lk 2:19, 51) and, with SaintJoseph, she taught Jesus from his earliest years to be attentive in this same way.10