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Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (Jer 23: 1-6; Eph 2: 13-18:1; Mk 6: 30-34)

REFLECT: Be a true shepherd, exemplify Jesus our good shepherd and empower oneself by prayer to God…

My dear friends, today we are in the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We all know the role of a shepherd-sheep life, the nature of it and their relation between them. A shepherd needs to be true, focused, vigilant, lead and guide the sheep in the right path and take them to green pasture. Anything contrary to it will fail the life-journey of a shepherd with the flock. Otherwise the sheep will go astray and away. We come to know in history that shepherding was and still is to a certain extent, a common occupation for people in the Middle East. The Patriarchs were all shepherds, as was Moses and of course David too. It was to shepherds in the field that the news of the birth of Christ was first revealed.

We have in the Bible, the Psalm 23, which is written by King David, expressing how God is a Good Shepherd and therefore our trust in him needs to be there always. The Psalm speaks of the nature of a good shepherd and the goodness of a good shepherd. Here, Yahweh himself is the shepherd who guides, leads and makes us live life safely secured in the Lord. However, the readings of the day enable us to understand how to be a true shepherd, exemplify Jesus in life and be a good shepherd of our times by an act of prayer. Therefore, based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with your three points of reflection.

1.     Be a true shepherd:

A true shepherd lays down one’s life. He does not run away in crisis and chaos rather safe-guards the sheep from every danger. A true shepherd brings reconciliation and peace with one another and does not create hostility or become enemical with others; a true shepherd stands by his flock and does not abandon or desert others. Something similar we see in the first reading from prophet Jeremiah. He gives us a clear hint through the word of the Lord that those shepherds who snatch the sheep from the sheepfold will be punished and be taken for a task by the judgment of the Lord. That’s what we hear in the first reading, “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture. You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings.”

Indeed, the words of the Lord are harsh and strong, because the so called leaders of the people of Israel have failed in their responsibilities as shepherds or leaders of the people, the kings, prophets, priests etc. They did not heed the cry of the people entrusted to their care; they were ill-treating the people. Instead of protecting the people like a shepherd, they were dispersing and dividing them. Instead of showing care to people, they were careless about God’s people and were not mindful of their priorities. That’s why God has come upon them strongly and has given them a verdict of punishment for their failure to be responsible and genuine leaders of people.

In our days too, similar things happen, where the leaders appointed to care for people, care the least for them; the leaders who supposed to safe-guard and protect people are quite comfortable but the people are in discomfort all over; the leaders who supposed to be loyal and loving to people have become lethargic, betrayed the trust and lost direction in life. It is a time of opportunity for all of us as leaders and shepherds at various levels to serve responsibly and to lead rightly the people entrusted to our care.

Further, the first reading from prophet Jeremiah does not only share the judgment of the Lord to those shepherds, who were irresponsible and untrue rather gives us as well the good news that from the dynasty of David a righteous branch shall rule as king and deal wisely to execute justice and righteousness in the land. This message of salvation is considered by many of the biblical scholars as a messianic prophecy about Jesus, who would reign as righteous king, who would establish justice and righteous in the land. Yes, Jesus is the king of all kings, the one who is righteous and true shepherd, who could bring justice to people.

Today, what we lack in our world is the good and genuine leaders, who shepherd and safe-guard God’s people. It is because of the increasing desire for power and position, money and materialism, selfishness and sensual desires that divert our focus from God. Let us realize that the leaders at the time of prophet Jeremiah were condemned, because they oppressed people and they did not care for them. If we continue to oppress people and lead them to misery, God would take an action against us too. So as shepherds and leaders, let us unite people for God, bring them closer to God and be responsible and genuine shepherds after the heart of God, the true shepherd.

2.     Exemplify a shepherd like Jesus

Today, you and me are called to be examples of shepherds to people in life. The best example of a shepherd for us Christians is Jesus, the good shepherd, who did not only speak of the  shepherd –sheep relationship and its importance rather exemplified the importance of being a shepherd to the sheep (we) by laying down his life for us. This is what we see in the second reading from St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians that “in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ; He is our peace and he has broken down the walls of hostility by being crucified and thus reconciling us with God.” So we see here Jesus’ role of a shepherd exemplified in life by word and deed.

That’s what perhaps we read in the Gospel of John in chapter 10 about good shepherd. The good shepherd enters by the gate and does not enter like a thief, hiding or jumping over the fence or a wall. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I have come that you may have life and life in fullness. Further Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives life for the sheep.” Yes, Jesus gave us his life for us sheep, so that we might enjoy eternal blessings always. So we need to pray that we all of us shepherds in the family, parish, diocese, church, state, world be true shepherds, who could guide and lead people towards God and to experience goodness in life.

In line with the above passage, while reflecting on the role of a good shepherd, Pope Francis very beautifully says, “The image of the Good Shepherd shows us how the Lord is not only our guide, the Head of the flock, but how above all He thinks of each of us as the love of His life. The Lord sees each of us as important, irreplaceable, worth the infinite price of His life. And this is not just a way of speaking, the Lord truly gave His life for me, He died and rose again for me, because He loves me and He finds in me a beauty that I often do not see myself.” Yes, indeed, we could certainly say that it is the limitless love that God has manifested in Christ Jesus, who sacrificed his life for love of us all. Perhaps, what we could do is to become shepherds after the heart of Christ in giving life to people by true love and true care. Jesus had the greatness by giving up life to give life to us. But Jesus does not demand or expect us to give up life rather give life by love that promotes sanctity, kindness and live in peace with one another. Let us pray that we look at Jesus as role model to live a life of love and serve one another generously.

3.     Empower life by prayer

We all know that prayer is the most essential act of all our activities that we do or engage, because prayer gives us strength, comfort, healing in life and above all prayer unites us with God. That’s what we see in the Gospel reading of the day. The apostles return from their ministry and report to Jesus all that happened. We see Jesus taking them to a lonely place and to rest a while. Probably, taking them to a lonely place could mean to pray and praise God and to rest in the Lord. Jesus is so considerate and compassionate to the apostles, who were sent on a mission and thus takes them to a lonely place to pray and to rest for a while or to have something to eat to be physically strengthened. So we notice here that Jesus taking them to a lonely place to strengthen the apostles. So it is an indication by Jesus that after every mission, we need to spend time with God in prayer, thanking and praising God for being with them and getting recharged with the power of prayer to continue doing the mission of God entrusted. Thus, the apostles obtain power from God and intimately unite themselves in prayer.

Further, at the end of the Gospel we see Jesus feeling compassion not only for the apostles rather for people too. That’s what we hear in the Gospel, “He had compassion for them for they were like a sheep without a shepherd.”  So we see here that Jesus shows compassion to the apostles and to the people. It shows that when we are united in prayer, whatever might be the situation and however mighty the person may be; God will give the strength to do his mission, because Jesus is a good shepherd, who feels for the entire sheepfold. Jesus was sensitive to the apostles and to the people, because he loved them and loved to be with them to help, to guide and to make them known the message of salvation. So in order to be a good shepherd like Jesus, we need to know the people entrusted to our care, be considerate and kind to them and be acquainted with them well to know their misery and reach out to them in compassion. That was the specialty of Jesus, being with the people, knowing the people, being sensitive to them and reaching out to people in compassion.

That’s what Pope Francis would urge us saying, “This is what I am asking you, be shepherds with the smell of sheep, so that people can sense the priest is not just concerned with his own congregation, but is also a fisher of men and women. We need to ‘go out,’ then, in order to experience our own anointing, its power and its redemptive efficacy: to the ‘outskirts’ where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight, and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters.” Yes, today we all need to be shepherds with the smell of the sheep. Whatever may happen; may be sorrow or sickness, dirty or clean, wounded and fragile, we need to be present with the people, support them and surround them with compassion and kindness.

Today who could be called as shepherds? Shepherds in the family are parents, shepherds in the parish are priests, shepherd in the diocese are bishops, shepherd of the church is Pope and the shepherd of the religious community are its leaders, the shepherds of  society, state, country and world are its leaders. I personally feel, this is what we need to do in the society. Every parent in the family, every leader in the church, society, state and world working for people need to be shepherds with the smell of the sheep and bring or work for the greater glory to God. I am sure with this attitude and approach if we work, the compassionate touch of Jesus could be experienced and shared with one another. So let us pray for the good shepherd-sheep relationship in our world at different levels of life to establish a better world for all to live in peace and harmony and experience healing and wonders by acts of compassion and kindness. Let us remember that good and genuine shepherd-sheep relationship would be established if only we are deeply united in God through prayer, for prayer connects us with God and God becomes completely center of us, when we unite ourselves completely in God. That’s what Jesus did, being united with his heavenly Father always and obtained daily nourishment from God for the mission he was entrusted on earth. So let us pray and exercise the spiritual link ‘prayer’ to be in union with God and thus reach out to others in kindness and compassion.

RESPOND:

Do we make attempts to be good and genuine shepherds in life?

Do we come forward to be Christ-like by giving life to people in word and deed?

Do we pray every day and strengthen ourselves to be good shepherds to people around us in compassion and kindness?

Let us become a true shepherd, exemplifying Jesus our role model to be shepherds and exercise prayer to be compassionate shepherds to the flock of Christ. Amen. 

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968