Homily OT (B) 16th Sunday - Shepherds Who Care

Core Message:

FOR THE MIND: What do I want them to KNOW?

· A good shepherd is one who provides effectively for his sheep because he truly cares for them.

FOR THE HEART: What do I want them to FEEL?

· My heart should bleed to see their need

I. Introduction

Usually the shepherd guides the sheep

I feel a bit strange up here, with you down there in the pews.

· Like a sheep shepherding shepherds. Then again, that’s kind of what today’s liturgy is all about…sheep shepherding

· How does the Good Shepherd make shepherds of his sheep?

What does it mean “to shepherd” the people?

The Psalm answers: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

· To shepherd = to provide for the needs of others so they might attain peace.

· Peace requires Power and Passion.

o Only one with power can actually provide (exousia).

o Only one who cares passionately actually would (splancha).

· Passion + Power = Peace (eirene)

Power, Passion, Peace

· Power – in last week’s Gospel, Christ sent them out to preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead—in short, all the things that only he can do. Participating in his power, they do Christ-like deeds.

· Passion—they still lack something, for when they see the crowds, their reaction couldn’t be further from Christ’s. “Send them away.” They are indifferent. Christ is compassionate.

· Peace—on their mission, Christ ordered them to greet the people, and if the house was worthy, “let your peace come upon it.” Otherwise, let it return to you.

· But could they be wholly effective apostles of peace, if they were vested with power alone, yet not clad with compassion?

II. Story - Compassion for Vianney

When I was a brother on internship in Paris, there was a boy named Vianney who would take part in our summer retreats and weekend activities. He was an all-around star: brilliant, athletic, fun. On top of being Mr. Personality, he was full of Christian goodness. He came from a strong Catholic family, and he was really striving for holiness. For me, he was like the little brother I never had.

When Vianney was twelve years old, he learned the capital of every nation on his own initiative. He’d love for me to test him, so he could hone his skills and show his knowledge. He wanted to stretch his mind. On long bus rides, he’d insist that I teach him philosophy. He mastered the principle of double effect and could explain it to others. I think he know how proud I was of him.

He and his buddy, Etienne, started up their own radio show. They knew and loved their Catholic faith, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

One day I joined the boys for a game of soccer. French kids are generally skilled soccer players, and Vianney was no exception. I may have been bigger, but soccer was really not my sport, so we were pretty fair competitors.

I’ll never forget the time I got so intensely immersed in the game that I collided into Vianney. We both came crashing to the ground. I was unscathed, but the little guy was hurt.

With restrained frustration, he looked at me and cried, “Brother, you know you’re bigger than me!”

His tears were like a dagger in my heart.

“You’re right,” I said with deep regret. “I was reckless! I’m so sorry!”

Virtuous young man that he was, Vianney forgave me. The game went on, but I was still moved by what took place. Even today, I recall the valuable lesson he taught me that day on the soccer field – a lesson about compassion.

Even in his suffering, he did not retaliate with an insulting counter-attack. He did not throw anger back in my face. He did not multiply his tears, but he let me know his pain. Then, he expressed his disappoint that I had acted so thoughtlessly.

Because I cared about him, I felt compassion for him. I wanted to claim responsibility for the fault that caused him suffering. Asking for forgiveness was not heartless reaction or ready-made formula: I wanted to reconcile with my brother. I suspect he perceived that. I’d like to think that he saw how heartbroken I was, and that he wanted to ease my suffering by granting me forgiveness from his heart.

Peace was achieved through authentic compassion. For this reason, there was nothing feigned about our restored friendship.

We can forget how powerful, how revolutionary an idea Christian compassion is.

III. The Gospel of Compassion

Today’s Gospel is all about the compassion of Christ.

The news of John the Baptist’s violent death had shaken Jesus to the core. He would have retreated to a lonely place for silence and prayer, but when he disembarks, he sees a hungry crowd waiting for him. His heart is “moved with pity” because they are “like sheep without a shepherd.”

Meanwhile, the apostles are itching to be rid of these inconvenient crowds and ask the Lord to send them away. But Christ has another idea.

He asks them to engage these strangers, to look them in the eye, to see their need, to invite them to sit down, and, after the miracle, to hand out the Lord’s bread to each one. By the time those apostles retired that night, they were changed men. Christ’s compassion had worked upon their hearts…

Shepherds, not hierarchs

Christ was making more than hierarchs, he was making good shepherds. Hierarchs are vested with authority, power. Shepherds are too, but they truly care for the sheep.

Jeremiah uses wordplay to highlight this point.

Wordplay: Paqad

· Because you have not attended to them, I will attend to you.

· Another translation runs, because you have not taken care of them, I will take care of you.

· Some translators give up on the word play: Because you have not cared for them, I will punish you.

· The word often means to visit: that can be a friendly visit or a not-so friendly visit, depending, not on the mood of the visitor, but the dispositions of the one visited.

· When God visits the righteous, it is to show favor, to rescue.

· When God visits the sinful, it is to judge, to condemn.

· The day of God’s visitation is often a stern warning against those rebelling against him.

· God visits Rachel and her prayer is answered: she conceives a son.

· Everyday in the Benedictus we pray, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.

God will visit us on this altar

· He comes to bless, to nourish.

· He leads us to verdant pastures. Our cup overflows.

· He comes to be our shepherd.

His visitation, however, comes only through our mediation

· Weak men call him down for he has chosen to empower us with exousia.

· Yes, we are vested with power, but are we clad with compassion?

· Do we have his heart? Do we care as he cares?

Impossible, unless we receive him.

· The Good Shepherd has laid down his life to make a gift of himself to us.

· The Bread of Life transforms us: it strengthens us and communicates to us his love

· Let us receive it in faith because there is a hungry world in need of good shepherds

Readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent (B):

ESV

NAB

Sunday, July 19, 2015 | Ordinary Time

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B | Roman Missal

First Reading Jeremiah 23:1–6

Response Psalm 23:1

Psalm Psalm 23:1–6

Second Reading Ephesians 2:13–18

Gospel Acclamation John 10:27

Gospel Mark 6:30–34

Index of Readings

First Reading

Jeremiah 23:1–6

23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 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. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

Response

Psalm 23:1

23 A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm

Psalm 23:1–6

23 A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Second Reading

Ephesians 2:13–18

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Gospel Acclamation

John 10:27

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Gospel

Mark 6:30–34

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Sunday, July 19, 2015 Ordinary Time

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B | Roman Missal

First Reading Jeremiah 23:1–6

Response Psalm 23:1

Psalm Psalm 23:1–6

Second Reading Ephesians 2:13–18

Gospel Acclamation John 10:27

Gospel Mark 6:30–34

Index of Readings

First Reading

Jeremiah 23:1–6

1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of my pasture—oracle of the Lord. 2 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. 3 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have banished them and bring them back to their folds; there they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear or be terrified; none shall be missing—oracle of the Lord.

5 See, days are coming—oracle of the Lord—

when I will raise up a righteous branch for David;

As king he shall reign and govern wisely,

he shall do what is just and right in the land.

6 In his days Judah shall be saved,

Israel shall dwell in security.

This is the name to be given him:

“The Lord our justice.”

Response

Psalm 23:1

1 A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

Psalm

Psalm 23:1–6

1 A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;

to still waters he leads me;

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me along right paths

for the sake of his name.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

5 You set a table before me

in front of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the Lord

for endless days.

Second Reading

Ephesians 2:13–18

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, 15 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, 16 and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Gospel Acclamation

John 10:27

27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Gospel

Mark 6:30–34

30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. 31 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. 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 33 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.

34 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.

Liturgy

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Entrance Antiphon [Ps 54 (53):6, 8]

See, I have God for my help.

The Lord sustains my soul.

I will sacrifice to you with willing heart,

and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Collect

Show favor, 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,

one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer over the Offerings

O God, who in the one perfect sacrifice

brought to completion varied offerings of the law,

accept, we pray, this sacrifice from your faithful servants

and make it holy, as you blessed the gifts of Abel,

so that what each has offered to the honor of your majesty

may benefit the salvation of all.

Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon [Ps 111 (110):4–5]

The Lord, the gracious, the merciful,

has made a memorial of his wonders;

he gives food to those who fear him.

Or: [Rev 3:20]

Behold, I stand at the door and knock, says the Lord.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me,

I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.

Prayer after Communion

Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord,

and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries

to pass from former ways to newness of life.

Through Christ our Lord.

Question and Answer

· What does it mean to be a compassionate shepherd?

· In what ways do I (or we as a Church) still like the compassion of Christ?

· How has this effected the efficacy of my (our) witness and ministry?

· How can I (we) become more caring?

Usually the shepherds guides the sheep

· I feel a bit strange up here, with you down there in the pews.

· Like a sheep shepherding shepherds.

· Then again, that’s kind of what today’s liturgy is all about.

· How does the Good Shepherd make shepherds of his sheep?

What does it mean “to shepherd” the people?

· To provide for them with care so they attain peace.

· Providing implies power (exousia).

· Care implies compassion (splancha).

· The result is peace (eirene)

Power, Passion, Peace

· Power – in last week’s Gospel, Christ sent them out to preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead—in short, all the things that only he can do. Participating in his power, they do Christ-like deeds.

· Passion—they still lack something, for when they see the crowds, their reaction couldn’t be further from Christ’s. “Send them away.” They are indifferent. Christ is compassionate.

· Peace—on their mission, Christ ordered them to greet the people, and if the house was worthy, “let your peace come upon it.” Otherwise, let it return to you.

· But could they be wholly effective apostles of peace, if they were vested with power alone, yet not clad with compassion?

Compassion for Vianney

When I was a brother on internship in Paris, there was a boy named Vianney who would take part in our summer retreats and weekend activities. He was an all-around star: brilliant, athletic, fun. On top of being Mr. Personality, he was full of Christian goodness. He came from a strong Catholic family, and he was really striving for holiness. For me, he was like the little brother I never had.

When Vianney was twelve years old, he learned the capital of every nation on his own initiative. He’d love for me to test him, so he could hone his skills and show his knowledge. He wanted to stretch his mind. On long bus rides, he’d insist that I teach him philosophy. He mastered the principle of double effect and could explain it to others. I think he knew how proud I was of him.

He and his buddy, Etienne, started up their own radio show. They knew and loved their Catholic faith, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

One day I joined the boys for a game of soccer. French kids are generally skilled soccer players, and Vianney was no exception. I may have been bigger, but soccer was really not my sport, so we were pretty fair competitors.

I’ll never forget the time I got so intensely immersed in the game that I collided into Vianney. We both came crashing to the ground. I was unscathed, but the little guy was hurt.

With restrained frustration, he looked at me and cried, “Brother, you know you’re bigger than me!”

His tears were like a dagger in my heart.

“You’re right,” I said with deep regret. “I was reckless! I’m so sorry!”

Virtuous young man that he was, Vianney forgave me. The game went on, but I was still moved by what took place. Even today, I recall the valuable lesson he taught me that day on the soccer field – a lesson about compassion.

Even in his suffering, he did not retaliate with an insulting counter-attack. He did not throw anger back in my face. He did not multiply his tears, but he let me know his pain. Then, he expressed his disappoint that I had acted so thoughtlessly.

Because I cared about him, I felt compassion for him. I wanted to claim responsibility for the fault that caused him suffering. Asking for forgiveness was not a heartless reaction or a ready-made formula: I wanted to reconcile with my brother. I suspect he perceived that. I’d like to think that he saw how heartbroken I was, and that he wanted to ease my suffering by granting me forgiveness from his heart.

Peace was achieved through authentic compassion. For this reason, there was nothing feigned about our restored friendship.

We can forget how powerful—how revolutionary—an idea Christian compassion is.

The Gospel of Compassion

Today’s Gospel is all about the compassion of Christ.

The news of John the Baptist’s violent death had shaken Jesus to the core. He would have retreated to a lonely place for silence and prayer, but when he disembarks, he sees a hungry crowd waiting for him. His heart is “moved with pity” because they are “like sheep without a shepherd.”

Meanwhile, the apostles are itching to be rid of these inconvenient crowds and ask the Lord to send them away. But Christ has another idea.

He asks them to engage these strangers, to look them in the eye, to see their need, to invite them to sit down, and, after the miracle, to hand out the Lord’s bread to each one. By the time those apostles retired that night, they were changed men. Christ’s compassion had worked upon their hearts…

Shepherds, not hierarchs

Christ was making more than hierarchs, he was making good shepherds. Hierarchs are vested with authority, power. Shepherds are too, but they truly care for the sheep.

Jeremiah uses wordplay to highlight this point.

Wordplay: Paqad

· Because you have not attended to them, I will attend to you.

· Another translation runs, because you have not taken care of them, I will take care of you.

· Some translators give up on the word play: Because you have not cared for them, I will punish you.

· The word often means to visit: that can be a friendly visit or a not-so friendly visit, depending, not on the mood of the visitor, but the dispositions of the one visited.

· When God visits the righteous, it is to show favor, to rescue.

· When God visits the sinful, it is to judge, to condemn.

· The day of God’s visitation is often a stern warning against those rebelling against him.

· God visits Rachel and her prayer is answered: she conceives a son.

· Every day in the Benedictus we pray, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.

· CCC 442: In the fullness of time, Jesus was born: God has visited his people

God will visit us on this altar

· He comes to bless, to nourish.

· He leads us to verdant pastures. Our cup overflows.

· He comes to be our shepherd.

His visitation, however, comes only through our mediation

· Weak men call him down for he has chosen to empower us with exousia.

· Yes, we are vested with power, but are we clad with compassion?

· Do we have his heart? Do we care as he cares?

Impossible, unless we receive him.

· The Good Shepherd has laid down his life to make a gift of himself to us.

· The Bread of Life transforms us: it strengthens us and communicates to us his love

· Let us receive it in faith because there is a hungry world in need of good shepherds

How can the Semitic word for “punish” be the same as “care”. Aren’t these opposites. If we think so, we not thinking with the mind of prophet Jeremiah, nor with the mind of God who has inspired Jeremiah.

Sometimes God’s visitation is friendly and welcome.

Sometimes it’s not so welcome.

God is not capricious. In fact, his love is unchanging.

What changes is us. How we receive his love. We can give him open arms, or we can give us stiff arms. In the first case, he takes care of us. Phew! In the latter, he takes care of us. Watch out!

But what of the

Psalm – the Lord is my shepherd

True peace in Christ, in conforming our hearts in to his.