Introduction: “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.” (Mark 6: 31) Rest is part of the cycle of our existence: those who work in the day rest at night, and vice versa; we puncture each week with a respite from work and labor; each year we seek vacation time to rest from work for a period and to spend time with family and loved ones.
God’s action is the model for our human action. If God “rested and was refreshed” on the seventh day, man too ought to “rest” and should let others, especially the poor, “be refreshed.” (Exodus 31:17; cf 23:12) The Sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. We might call it a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money. (Cf. Nehemiah 13: 15-22; 2 Chronicles 36:21)
When the disciples came back from their mission they reported to Jesus all that they had done. The demanding crowds were so insistent that they has no time even to eat; so Jesus told them to come with him to a lonely place on the other side of the lake that they might have peace and rest for a little time.
Here we see might be called the rhythm of the Christ life. The Christian life is a continuous going into the presence of God from the presence of men and coming out into the presence of men. It is like the rhythm of sleep and work. We cannot work unless we have our time of rest; and sleep will not come unless we have worked until we are tired.
Point 1: There are two dangers in life. First, there is the danger of too constant activity. No man can work without rest; and no man can live the Christian life unless he gives himself time with God. It may well be that the whole trouble in our lives is that we give God no opportunity to speak to us, because we do not know how to be still and to listen; we give God no time to recharge us with spiritual energy and strength, because there is no time when we wait upon him. How can we should life’s burdens (tasks) if we have no contact with him who is the Lord of all (good) life? How can we do God’s work unless in God ‘s strength? And how can we receive that strength unless we seek in quietness and loneliness the presence of God?
Point 2: Second, there is the danger of too much withdrawal. Devotion that does not issue in action (service) is not real devotion. Prayer that does not issue in work is not real prayer. We must never seek the fellowship of God in order to avoid the fellowship of men but in order to fit ourselves better for it. The rhythm of the Christian life is the alternate meeting with God in the secret place and serving men in the market place.
When this rhythm of Christian life grounded in our own creatureliness is disregarded the consequences place our lives in peril. The great cultural phenomenon of dissatisfaction and frustration because of life without God has erupted in physical and sexual abuse to the highest degree within families, an escalating dependence on drugs and alcohol to achieve an illusory sense of peace and well-being, and an increasing fixation on the acquisition of money and material goods even through the most violent means, and the great attack on the sacredness of human life in all its stages. All these trends provide abundant evidence that something is missing in the contemporary understanding of life and work.
Conclusion: Perhaps one of the greatest signs that we have disregarded this rhythm of Christian life, that we have ruptured our bond with the Creator of life is the increasing custom of working seven days a week. Yes, some people are forced to work seven days a day, but it is the great number who choose to work on Sundays with no thought of the commandment to rest that undermine their spiritual and physical well-being by disregarding the Creator’s own instructions for the care and feeding of his own creatures. Our resultant exhaustion and confusion, “like sheep without a shepherd” can very often be traced to our own disregard for the rhythm of Christian life, our own disregard for the law of rest, a universal law grounded in our creatureliness which we disregard to our own peril.
“…he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them and he began to teach them many things (Mark 6:34). “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28). Through our time together in Eucharist our divine and merciful Lord fulfills this promise and all his promises. Through our coming together in Eucharist he satisfies our hunger for rest through his teaching and his presence; through the proclamation of His Word and our sharing in His Body and Blood
Scripture Readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Responsorial Psalm: 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Questions That May Lead to Other Thoughts, Reflections, Discussion.
- In the first reading Jeremiah reflects on bad leadership. What are the priorities or values of a shepherd whose sheep tremble and fear? What are the priorities and values of a good shepherd?
- You are a shepherd. What can you do about the fear that injustice puts on people all over the world? What about unfair situations in your own city or town, your own family, or church or society?
- Paul is a Jewish Christian preaching to Gentiles. But he is also a Jewish Christian preaching to Jews. There were a lot of barriers or “dividing walls” as Paul calls them. Think about or discuss the walls that divide peoples of different beliefs, races or cultures.
- What are the walls which divide us in the Church today? Which ones seem most impenetrable to you?
- In what way is Jesus a good shepherd in this gospel story?
- Think about or discuss compassion and power as attributes of leadership.
Meditation: What does the image of a shepherd tell us about God’s care for us? Shepherding was one of the oldest of callings in Israel, even before farming, since the Chosen People had traveled from place to place, living in tents, and driving their flocks from one pasture to another. Looking after sheep was no easy calling. It required great skill and courage. Herds were often quite large, thousands or even ten thousands of sheep. The flocks spent a good part of the year in the open country. Watching over them required a great deal of attention and care. Sheep who strayed from the flock had to be sought out and brought back by the shepherd. Since hyenas, jackals, wolves, and even bear were common and fed on sheep, the shepherds often had to do battle with these wild and dangerous beasts. A shepherd literally had to put his life on the line in defending his sheep. Shepherds took turns watching the sheep at night to ward off any attackers. The sheep and their shepherds continually lived together. Their life was so intimately bound together that individual sheep, even when mixed with other flocks, could recognize the voice of their own shepherd and would come immediately when called by name.
The Old Testament often spoke of God as shepherd of his people, Israel. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! (Psalm 80:1) We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). The Messiah is also pictured as the shepherd of God’s people: He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus told his disciples that he was the Good Shepherd who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep (Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4, John 10). When he saw the multitude of people in need of protection and care, he was moved to respond with compassionate concern. His love was a personal love for each and every person who came to him in need. Peter the apostle called Jesus the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Do you know the peace and security of a life freely submitted to Jesus, the Good Shepherd? In the person of the Lord Jesus we see the unceasing vigilance and patience of God’s love. In our battle against sin and evil, Jesus is ever ready to give us help, strength, and refuge. Do you trust in his grace and help at all times?
“Lord, you guard and protect us from all evil. Help us to stand firm in your word and to trust in your help in all circumstances. May we always find rest and refuge in the shelter of your presence.”
July 19, 2015 –Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Lectionary: 107
Reading 1 – Jeremiah 23: 1-6
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
“The LORD our justice.”
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
- The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul. - The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
- The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
- The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
- The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reading 2 – Ephesians 2: 13-18
Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, he who made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Alleluia – John 10: 27
- Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – Mark 6: 30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
Listen to the Scriptures: click on the link below:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/15_07_19.mp3
For the Church: that we may be instruments of compassion and care to all who find life’s journey burdensome, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who are overwhelmed by busyness: that God will help them to slow down and be aware of the gifts and blessings that are in their life each day, let us pray to the Lord.
For a spirit of compassion: that God will touch our hearts with care and concern for all whom we find burdensome, needy or demanding, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who exercise leadership: that they may place their gifts unselfishly in the service of others and draw forth the gifts of others, let us pray to the Lord.
For all disciples: that we may recognize our common humanity with one another and reach out to others with a sense of interdependence, let us pray to the Lord.
For all bishops: that they may have the hearts of true shepherds and guide the church closer to Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who offer retreats and places of solitude: that they will help others to rest and renew their relationship with God and with themselves, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who serve in ministry: that God will bless their efforts, help them keep their lives in balance, and renew them in mind, body and spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
For all missionaries: that God will be with them in times of loneliness and refresh them in the midst of the many demands they face, let us pray to the Lord.
For refugees, migrant workers, the homeless, and the oppressed: that God may show them a shepherd’s care and raise up effective leaders to assist them, let us pray to the Lord.
For all living in densely populated settings: that they may find a space apart where they can find silence and experience God’s presence with them, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who have suffered abuse: that God’s loving compassion will bring healing to their bodies, minds and spirits, and fill them with hope and courage, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who lack adequate health: that policies may be developed to help those who are most in need, let us pray to the Lord.
For all who suffer from floods, drought, or wildfires: that God will protect them from further harm, ease their pain, and speed the assistance which they need, let us pray to the Lord.
For nations burdened by debt: that God will touch hearts and inspire minds to find new ways of alleviating the burden of debt for the poorest counties of the world so that resources may be used to address poverty, hunger and disease, let us pray to the Lord.
For Peace in all areas that have conflict: that God may lead all the parties like a shepherd away from violence and into greater appreciation of life and the value of each person, let us pray to the Lord.