Reflection on Today's Readings, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, July 18th, 2021
Texts: Jer. 23:1-6; Ps. 23:1-6; Eph. 2:13-18; Mark 6 :30-34
Today's first reading is a condemnation of the current situation of God's people and a note of hope. The shepherds of the people were accused of failing in their responsibilities; they did not attend to the people. In the reading, it is said, _"Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: 'You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. ...'"_ The people scattered and everyone went on their ways; they were left to their own whims and caprices.
The problem, here, is the problem of leadership; the leaders failed to lead the people. The problem was not leading them astray but failing to lead them. It is a neglect of one's primary responsibility. This could happen to us, priests, sometimes, busy attending ceremonies near and far without attending to the flocks entrusted to us in our parishes. It could also happen to you, parents, that you are busy with with works, friends and social gatherings without minding your primary responsibility to your children. Many of such parents leave their children in the hands of housemaid or in daycare; they think taking care of children is all about money, paying their school fees, feeding them etc.
One thing I have come to believe is that any work a priest does for his own gain affects his pastoral work either in a little or great way. When I look at what the life of a priest should be, I realise that it gives no room for personal interest or business. Praying five times a day (Divine office), personal special prayer for your people, programmes for the people, prayerfully preparing for one's reflection each day, administrative works, pastoral visit to one's people whether sick or not, counselling, it is a whole lot of work and the work is killing, if not the grace of God. This is clear in today's gospel reading; Jesus Christ with His disciples was deprived of rest. It is said, _"And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got them ahead of them."_ Yet we are still seen as lazy fellows who feed on people. This couple with other challenges lead to abandonment of one's primary responsibility in pursuit of personal interest or business.
However, God promised to visit the shepherds for their evil. The shepherds, here, include everyone in his capacity to lead, guide and instruct. It refers to us in whatever capacity we are leaders and guides. Whatever might have made a shepherd abandon his flock, he is guilty. He is guilty because it is a failure in counting on God's grace. We should always attend to our flocks, no matter what. Every shepherd is to be like Jesus Christ who had compassion on the people and continued to teach them. It is said, _"As he landed he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."_ It is God's grace that leads us on.
When the flock scattered, they missed the joy of being with others, the social friendship, the bond of unity, the bond of peace. There is more to lose when we are not together than when we are together. We lose to our own peril when we scatter but to our own good when we are one. This means unity and peace are worth sacrificing for.
God, in the first reading, gave a note of hope; He promised to shepherd His people by raising a descendant of David to lead them. The descendant of David would bring the people together. This promise has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. How it is fulfilled in Jesus Christ is the subject of today's second reading. Jesus Christ achieved it through His passion and death. By His passion and death, He removed the cause of our separation and united us with one another and with God. He removed the law that kept us apart and put an end to hatred and hostility among us. In Jesus Christ we have no reason to harbour hatred, malice, anger or whatever that can keep us far from one another. We should always make peace with one another.
The hope God has offered us in Christ is not an end to evil but the grace to live through it, the grace to conquer evil. Hence, today's psalm says, _"He guides me along the right path, for the sake of his name. Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil would I fear, for you are with me. Your crook and your staff will give me comfort."_ When we follow the path laid down by Jesus Christ, we will fear no evil, for He is always with us. The psalm adds thus: " _You have prepared a table before me in the sight, of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing."_ We will be blessed, not until our enemies are eliminated but in their presence. It is in the midst of all this that we recognise that it is by God's grace that we live. Evil will not end until the end of time, but grace will always triumph over it. Hence the psalm continues, _"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for length of days unending"_ We continue to live by God's mercy and goodness.
Show favour, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Today's colect).
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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