July 22, 2012

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: 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."

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Second Reading: 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.

Gospel Reading: 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: Fr. James Theophilus 

   Apostles had just returned after their missionary expedition. They were like good stewards reported the happening. Jesus also invited them to go away to the deserted place to rest a while. For the people of Israel desert was a place of God experience (forty years in the desert after exodus, John the Baptizer was in the desert, Jesus himself was there for forty days etc). It was also place of rest. There was nothing in the desert and there was no one to disturb and hence it was a place of rest.

   But Jesus, on arrival, found the place with crowds of people. Even a place of rest became a place of people with movements. Desert is also the place where one could get lost.  The people who were in big number were of this type. They were not there for rest but they were lost (in their lives). They were like sheep without shepherd. So Jesus turned the place of rest into a place of ministry and activity. He had compassion on them. Compassion makes the desert into beehive of activities.