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
R. (1) 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.
R. 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.
R. 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.
R. 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.
R. 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
R. 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.
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Zeal and Determination
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. Mark 6:34
Both Jesus and the Twelve Apostles had been working very hard. The Twelve had been out on mission to many of the neighboring towns preaching, healing the sick and casting out demons. Upon the completion of their mission, they returned to Jesus and reported all that they had done. Jesus, in turn, invited them to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” But the crowds heard about their departure by boat and quickly went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee so that they would arrive before Jesus and the Twelve.
The passage quoted above reveals the internal reaction that Jesus had toward the crowds as He and the Twelve disembarked from the boat. Though they had attempted to go away together to a quiet place for rest, the crowds were intent on being with them. Jesus, of course, was not upset that the crowds had spoiled His attempt to find some quiet time with the Twelve. Instead, His heart was moved with compassion. He could see that the people were hungry for more and were “like sheep without a shepherd.” For that reason, Jesus immediately began to feed them with His teachings.
A helpful point to ponder in this passage is that the people who gathered were described as a “vast crowd.” From the subsequent passage in Mark’s Gospel, we learn that when Jesus finished teaching them many things, He performed the miracle of the multiplication of fish and bread and fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and children. Given the fact that the estimated ratio at that time of adult men to women and children was at least 5:1, the crowd could have been as large as 25,000 people. For a spontaneous gathering of people in a remote area by the Sea of Galilee, that is a huge number. This is especially the case, since it is estimated that there were only about 1,500 people living in Capernaum at that time. People had flocked to our Lord from very far away.
This vast and spontaneous gathering reveals to us the hunger that Jesus instilled in the hearts of very many people. Some of these people had already heard Jesus speak and had witnessed His miracles. Others were those to whom the Twelve had just preached in the surrounding villages. The Twelve had spoken clearly and convincingly by the power of the Holy Spirit about Jesus, and many people responded, wanting to know more about our Lord.
As you ponder the enthusiasm of so many people, try to compare that with your own enthusiasm for Jesus. Are you driven to seek Him out with the same passion and zeal that consumed these first followers? Or do you find that your zeal and enthusiasm are lacking at times? This vast crowd, with their zeal and determination to seek out our Lord, should be a source of inspiration and self-examination for us all.
Reflect, today, upon this vast crowd. Try to see yourself joining them. Ponder yourself being so moved by the preaching of the Apostles that you become single-focused in your determination to be fed by Jesus’ holy teaching. If it is hard to imagine yourself acting this way, then humbly acknowledge that you may need more zeal for Jesus in your life. Pray that these holy desires become stirred up within you, and do all that you can to foster such zeal.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
CHANGING SHEPHERDS
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” —Psalm 23:1
In the Old Testament, the term “shepherds,” when used to refer to leaders, did not refer to religious leaders but secular, political leaders (see Ez 34:1ff). Thus, according to the Old Testament, our shepherds are the president, governors, senators, mayors, etc. The Lord promised to punish the shepherds of Israel for not caring for the sheep (Jer 23:2) and to replace them with a good shepherd, a king who “shall reign and govern wisely” (Jer 23:5). Jesus is that Good Shepherd-King (see Jn 10:14).
When Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd, He implied to the Jewish people that He was a political leader, possibly a king. Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world (Jn 18:36), but very few people knew that. Therefore, when Jesus called Himself “the Good Shepherd,” He was easily misunderstood as saying something political and revolutionary. This was part of the reason Jesus was crucified by the Roman government (see Jn 19:12-16).
Even today, if you decide to follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd-King, you will be misunderstood. You will be misjudged to be a political threat to the government, especially as you proclaim international, socioeconomic freedom in Christ. Nevertheless, follow the Good Shepherd even to the cross of misunderstanding, rejection, and death.
Prayer: Jesus, Good Shepherd, raise up godly political leaders.
Promise: “He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them at great length.” —Mk 6:34
Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who brings goodness and kindness all the days of our lives (Ps 23:6).
Reflection 3
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In life, while on the one hand, there is the danger of being absorbed with constant activity, on the other, there is the danger of too much withdrawal.
The Gospel, today, shows us Jesus’ ability to maintain a perfect balance! His relationship with God was not at the cost of his relationship with people, but rather to ready himself better for it! We hear of quite the contrary in the first reading.
The prophet Jeremiah points out to the king, nobility and temple priests how they have abused their power and neglected their duties as shepherds of God’s people. Predicting their destruction, he foretells the coming of a true shepherd who would unite, nurture, protect and guide God’s flock, which we see fulfilled in Jesus.
In the second reading, Paul writing to a largely non-Jewish community, explains how God’s loving plan of salvation is for all who believe. And today’s Psalm of the ‘Good Shepherd’ illustrates the extent to which God loves and cares for his people.
Living in a highly competitive world, we need to strike a balance between being work and people-oriented!
Prayers
My compassionate Lord, the vast crowds sought You out to listen to You and to be fed by Your holy Word. They burned with a desire to be with You, and You responded to them with great mercy. Please fill my heart with the same zeal and desire for You. Teach me, Lord, feed me and draw me close to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, you guard and protect us from all evil. Help me to stand firm in your word and to trust in your help in all circumstances. May I always find rest and refuge in the shelter of your presence.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 202: A Daily Anniversary
Anniversaries are blessed opportunities for reflection and gratitude. Some anniversaries are joyous, such as the anniversary of spouses celebrating a long and holy marriage. Other anniversaries are difficult, such as the anniversary of the death of a loved one. Yet even in the difficulty of reliving the loss, it is a yearly reminder of your love for that person. There are many annual celebrations within the Church that point us to a remembrance of a particular aspect of Christ’s life. But there is one “anniversary” which is celebrated daily. It’s the daily commemoration of the death of our Lord at three o’clock in the afternoon. This hour is a sacred hour and is an important time to stop and reflect upon all that Jesus did for us. It’s a time of gratitude as well as a time to mourn His sufferings with a holy sorrow. This hour is especially honored on Good Friday, but it’s important to commemorate it every day (See Diary #1055).
Do you remember the three o’clock hour? It’s easy to forget this most sacred moment of the day. Our lives can become busy and hectic and we can fail to pause and recall our Lord’s agony of love. But try to see it as your daily anniversary with the Lord. It is this hour that our prayers are most effective. There are special graces of Mercy bestowed upon those who pause and pray at this hour. Commit yourself to this holy devotion and our Lord will bless you abundantly.
My Jesus, You hung on the Cross from noon until three in the afternoon. And at that holy hour You uttered Your final word, breathed Your last and died. May I always remember to honor this hour. May it be my daily reminder of Your perfect love. Help me to grow in devotion to Your sacred Passion, dear Lord, and through this practice, pour forth the Mercy of Your wounded Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
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