Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 22, 2012

Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

          Ah! The emotions of Jesus. I enjoy coming across passages where feelings of compassion ooze into my consciousness. In Mark 6, the disciples return to Jesus to tell them all they saw and did. They are filled with stories of remarkable healings and conversions and they simply want to share the good news with Jesus. I can imagine their animated gestures as they speak of the wonders they just saw. Jesus tells them to come and rest awhile with him. Perhaps he does this to affirm and thank them. He wants to spend time with them to hear of their tales. Their time for work is over. It is time to rest. Jesus knows the value of downtime.

          Just as the disciples begin to rest, people come and go in great numbers. They want something more from the disciples, but Jesus knows they need rest from their labors so they set off in a boat until they get to a deserted place. Relentless, the people from the neighboring towns find them again. They can't get away for some replenishment. Just then, Jesus gets out of the boat and he is overcome with emotions. His need for rest and for processing the disciples' events are put on the back burner because the needs of others are great.

          Since Jesus represents the mind and heart of God, we are comforted by his response to this wounded crowd. They want their stories known by Jesus. Each person has a unique story that is intriguing. The sheer horror that someone goes through in life takes ones breath away in disbelief. Real life is stranger than fiction. It is horrifying what we can do to one another - especially those who are in our families or are trusted associates. No wonder that we cannot trust in God. We learn not to trust others and to go along on our own because our faith in a friend or colleague has tarnished the relationship. We learn not to trust at all. We act as if everything depends upon us.

          The church and the world need leaders who act out of compassion. People seek out those who will respond to their stories. While an image of shepherd may be foreign to our culture, the abiding sense that the shepherd makes himself responsible to those entrusted to him touches our sensibilities with spot-on precision. People can see through a leader whose motivation is careerism, honors or glory, authority, or status. They will tolerate, but not respect her. Rather, the one who demonstrates a very human response to the person standing before her will earn affection and trust. It is actually rather simple and it is surprising we seldom get it right.

          Beware of those who want to be leaders. Egoism of some sort is at play. This type of person may be saying, "I can take care of your needs - better than you can. Trust me." The problem is this type of leader seldom asks what you need. Rather, look in different places for unenthusiastic leaders. Look for those who have the ability to listen and enter into a dialogue that enriches and resolves conflicts amicably. Natural leaders are chosen because they can be trusted. They are probably be reluctant to take center stage. They would prefer to listen to you. They just naturally act out of their own goodness as they respond to you. They are seldom concerned for self. Ask God to empower more people to bring forth these reluctant leaders who are good shepherds. The church and society needs new models and the needs are becoming greater. People are still searching and clamoring to know that God still personally cares for them.

         

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading: Micah and the Lord talk about how they have mistreated one another. They yearn for each other as they were in times past. All that is required is that one do the right, love goodness, and walk humbly with God. Micah asks the Lord to be like a good shepherd for his flock who brings them to pasture, has compassion on them, and vanquishes their enemies. ~ Jeremiah hears this word of the Lord: Remember our happy past days. They can be restored. However, the people have defiled the land and their heritage. They have turned away to worship Ba'al. Return, rebellious children, to the Lord. The Lord will take you, one from a city, two from a clan and bring you to Zion to be shepherds after his own heart. The Lord then sends Jeremiah to the Temple gates and exhorts them to reform their moral lives and return to the Lord. He proclaims: This is the Temple of the Lord.

Gospel: Amazed by his authority, the scribes and Pharisees want to see a sign from Jesus so they can know whether the source is divine or evil. Jesus tells them that God's power is not used as a spectacle because it comes from compassionate concern for others. Jesus redefines family. His biological family, embarrassed by his antics, came to collect him and bring him home. Jesus replies that his family are those who do the will of God. The disciples ask Jesus why he does not speak plainly. He blesses the eyes and ears of those who have faith. Great glories will be experienced by them. Jesus then tells them the parable of the sower whose seed falls on rocky grounds, among thorns, and on fertile land. The one on fertile soil has the best chance, but the one who blossoms where he or she is will produce bountiful fruit. He then tells the parable of the sower whose seed was stolen and thrown in among weeds. The disciples wanted to clear out everything, but he said to leave them where they are. The final threshing of good from bad will come at the end times.

Saints of the Week

July 22: Mary Magdalene, apostle (1st century), became the "apostle to the apostles" as the first witness of the resurrection. Scriptures point to her great love of Jesus and she stood by him at the cross and brought spices to anoint his body after death. We know little about Mary though tradition conflates her with other biblical woman. Luke portrays her as a woman exorcised of seven demons.

July 23: Bridget of Sweden, religious (1303-1373), founded the Bridgettine Order for men and women in 1370, though today only the women’s portion has survived. She desired to live in a lifestyle defined by prayer and penance. Her husband of 28 years died after producing eight children with Bridget. She then moved to Rome to begin the new order.

July 24: Sharbel Makhuf, priest (1828-1898), joined a monastery in the Maronite tradition and lived as a hermit for 23 years after living fifteen years in the community. He became known for his wisdom and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

July 25: James, Apostle (1st century), is the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. As fishermen, they left their trade to follow Jesus. They occupied the inner circle as friends of Jesus. James is the patron of Spain as a shrine is dedicated to him at Santiago de Compostela. He is the patron of pilgrims as many walk the Camino en route to this popular pilgrim site.

July 26: Joachim and Anne, Mary's parents (1st century) are names attributed to the grandparents of Jesus through the Protogospel of James. These names appeared in the Christian tradition though we don't know anything with certitude about their lives. Devotion of Anne began in Constantinople in the 6th century while Joachim gained acclaim in the West in the 16th century. He was revered in the Eastern churches since the earliest times.

This Week in Jesuit History

·         Jul 22, 1679. The martyrdom at Cardiff, Wales, of St Phillip Evans.

·         Jul 23, 1553. At Palermo, the parish priests expressed to Fr. Paul Achilles, rector of the college, indignation that more than 400 persons had received Holy Communion in the Society's church, rather than in their parish churches.

·         Jul 24, 1805. In Maryland, Fr. Robert Molyneux was appointed the first superior by Father General Gruber.

·         Jul 25, 1581. In the house of the Earl of Leicester in London, an interview occurred between Queen Elizabeth and Edmund Campion. The Queen could scarcely have recognized the worn and broken person before her as the same brilliant scholar who had addressed here at Oxford 15 years before.

·         Jul 26, 1872. At Rome, the greater part of the Professed House of the Gesu was seized and appropriated by the Piedmontese government.

·         Jul 27, 1609. Pope Paul V beatifies Ignatius.

·         Jul 28, 1564. In a consistory held before twenty-four Cardinals, Pope Paul IV announced his intention of entrusting the Roman Seminary to the Society.