Sixteenth Sunday

Sixteenth Sunday Ordinary
July 23, 2006

"I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them..." (Jeremiah 23:1-6) "For he is our peace, he... broke down the dividing wall of enmity..." (Ephesians 2:13-18) "... his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd..." (Mark 6:30-34)

The prophet Jeremiah speaks for the Most High that the people ("my flock") scattered and displaced from their homeland by their adversaries will be reunited and protected from further harm. St. Paul says that the Christ will bring peace and destroy the wall of animosity. We are the people of peace. The attitude and language of hatred and violence has no place among us. If we may be forced at times to defend ourselves against unjust aggression, we do not have to do it by making the aggressors out to be subhuman demons. This is the very attitude we reject when it is applied to us. Even advice from successful military leaders indicates that underestimating, misunderstanding or disrespecting our adversaries can lead to our own undoing.

Jesus and his disciples are exhausted from the constant pressure of the crowds who want to hear and be touched by them. They have not even had time to eat. He suggests that they take some time off and they go by boat to a deserted place hoping to be able to rest and recharge. People find out where they are and are there waiting for them! In spite of fatigue he has compassion for them and does not send them away. Jesus gives us examples of both selfless generosity and prudent regard for our own limitations. Good pastoral care for each other includes taking care of one's self. If we are exhausted and depleted, we will become useless for others.

Jesus remarks that the crowd is "like sheep without a shepherd". We pray for wise and compassionate pastors and then dare them to try to fix the enmity and divisions which threaten us. We appear to want our pastors to fix others who are opposing our own ideas about what we should be teaching and preaching, what kind of art and music we should have, when to sit, kneel or stand, and which words are correct. These issues are certainly important. We might also do well to keep them in perspective. Entire continents of God's flock are in the agonies of poverty, disease, starvation and violence. They are our people, too.

In a popular TV program dog owners ask for help from an expert about how to fix their pet's behavior problems. He turns the issue back on to the owners, helping them with their own attitude adjustment first. This new approach with their pet will take daily time, attention and patience. We may not be able to directly solve national or global problems, but we certainly can transform our own church, work and school communities, starting with prayers for transformation of our old self with all its aggression and anger.