Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Title

My Sheep Hear My Voice

Outline

For whom do we expend effort?

I have been around many church structures in many parts of the world

Some of the leaders focused their efforts on who would benefit them - who had money and influence to help the leaders build their building and raise the profile of their ministry

Some of the leaders focused on caring for people, whether it was physically, socially, emotionally or spiritually

I think of the difference between the famous professor who was in a conversation in an elevator I was in: “What is the most expensive restaurant in the city?” Versus how Fr Raymond Brown went out of his way to be kind and caring towards me when I was a young scholar

We get this contrast in our readings

Jeremiah speaks of “the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of my pasture”

They were the leaders of Israel of his day who were trying to preserve their position by playing the power politics of their day - the people ended up scattered

But that was not the Lord - while Jeremiah never lived to see it, the Lord would gather Israel

Jesus acts as the Lord to gather Israel

He and his disciples were tired, exhausted from ministry

He plans a time of rest - anyone in ministry knows about this

They go to a desert place for a retreat, but the scattered folk of Israel got there first.

Jesus set his needs aside: “his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.”

Gathering Israel was his priority

Paul tells us that Jesus did more than this

Jews were separated from the rest of the world; the Torah set up regulations designed to enforce this separation, which was needed until the time of fulfillment, when Israel had loyalty to Yahweh “down”

But Jesus wants to gather sheep from the whole world, to fulfill the call of Israel to be a light to the nations, so “he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh” - the purpose was that “he might create in himself one new person in place of the two” - not Jew, not Gentile, but one new person in him

To reach this goal cost him dearly, for the goal was that he “might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it.”

Thus he can preach peace through his church so that “through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

Here we have the ultimate gathering shepherd

Here we have the ultimate program for ministry, whether it be that of prayer or of apostolate

Our goal is not the splitting of people, but that gathering of people into one new man

We realize that this is a costly action, for gathering the sheep into one new man cost the price of the cross for Jesus, and it will cost that for us in union with him

Finally, we can tell the voice of the demonic from the voice of the true Shepherd from its effect: is it gathering into one or is it scattering across the earth

I pray before and after every mass; a significant portion of the prayer is that I might be one with Christ in his activity of gathering; I trust this is also true for the Dominican Sisters in your appropriate prayers. But we must both be careful, for the one who scatters is not yet definitively destroyed

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 7-18-2021: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 7-18-2021: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

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

GREEN