July 18, 2021Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2021년 7월 18일 연중 제16주일 

오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp 

제1독서

<나는 살아남은 양들이 다시 모아들여 그들은 돌보아 줄 목자들을 세워 주리라.>

예레미야서. 23,1-6
 1 불행하여라, 내 목장의 양 떼를 파멸시키고 흩어 버린 목자들! 주님의 말씀이다.

2 ─ 그러므로 주 이스라엘의 하느님께서
내 백성을 돌보는 목자들을 두고 말씀하신다. ─
너희는 내 양 떼를 흩어 버리고 몰아냈으며 그들을 보살피지 않았다.
이제 내가 너희의 악한 행실을 벌하겠다. 주님의 말씀이다.
3 그런 다음 나는 내가 그들을 쫓아 보냈던 모든 나라에서 살아남은 양들을
다시 모아들여 그들이 살던 땅으로 데려오겠다.
그러면 그들은 출산을 많이 하여 번성할 것이다.
4 내가 그들을 돌보아 줄 목자들을 그들에게 세워 주리니,
그들은 더 이상 두려워하거나 당황하지 않고,
그들 가운데 잃어버리는 양이 하나도 없을 것이다. 주님의 말씀이다.
5 보라, 그날이 온다! 주님의 말씀이다.
내가 다윗을 위하여 의로운 싹을 돋아나게 하리라.
그 싹은 임금이 되어 다스리고 슬기롭게 일을 처리하며
세상에 공정과 정의를 이루리라.
6 그의 시대에 유다가 구원을 받고 이스라엘이 안전하게 살리라.
사람들이 그의 이름을 ‘주님은 우리의 정의’라고 부르리라.

제2독서

<유다인과 이민족을 하나로 만드신 그리스도는 우리의 평화이십니다.>

에페소서. 2,13-18
형제 여러분,
13 이제, 한때 멀리 있던 여러분이
그리스도 예수님 안에서 그리스도의 피로 하느님과 가까워졌습니다.
14 그리스도는 우리의 평화이십니다.
그분께서는 당신의 몸으로 유다인과 이민족을 하나로 만드시고
이 둘을 가르는 장벽인 적개심을 허무셨습니다.
15 또 그 모든 계명과 조문과 함께 율법을 폐지하셨습니다.
그렇게 하여 당신 안에서
두 인간을 하나의 새 인간으로 창조하시어 평화를 이룩하시고,
16 십자가를 통하여 양쪽을 한 몸 안에서 하느님과 화해시키시어,
그 적개심을 당신 안에서 없애셨습니다.
17 이렇게 그리스도께서는 세상에 오시어,
멀리 있던 여러분에게도 평화를 선포하시고
가까이 있던 이들에게도 평화를 선포하셨습니다.
18 그래서 그분을 통하여 우리 양쪽이 한 성령 안에서
아버지께 나아가게 되었습니다.

복음

<그들은 목자 없는 양들 같았다.>

마르코. 6,30-34
그때에 30 사도들이 예수님께 모여 와, 자기들이 한 일과 가르친 것을 다 보고하였다. 31 그러자 예수님께서 그들에게, “너희는 따로 외딴곳으로 가서 좀 쉬어라.” 하고 말씀하셨다. 오고 가는 사람들이 너무 많아 음식을 먹을 겨를조차 없었던 것이다. 
32 그래서 그들은 따로 배를 타고 외딴곳으로 떠나갔다. 33 그러자 많은 사람이 그들이 떠나는 것을 보고, 모든 고을에서 나와 육로로 함께 달려가 그들보다 먼저 그곳에 다다랐다. 
34 예수님께서는 배에서 내리시어 많은 군중을 보시고 가엾은 마음이 드셨다. 그들이 목자 없는 양들 같았기 때문이다. 그래서 그들에게 많은 것을 가르쳐 주기 시작하셨다.

July 18, 2021

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass 

Reading 1
Jer 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD. 
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. 
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply. 
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
"The LORD our justice."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

Reading II
Eph 2:13-18

Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the blood of Christ.

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

Gospel
Mk 6:30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught. 
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. 
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 
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.

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.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

Being from cattle country, I don’t know much about sheep, a focus of today’s readings.  When I searched for information about sheep and a shepherd’s responsibility, it became clear to me why Jesus used those metaphors to reveal God’s love and concern for us.

How many times do we read in the Scriptures….do not be afraid…peace be with you…do not be anxious?  Thinking about the Good Shepherd in today’s gospel reminded me of the numerous times I have heard and read those words.

What do Good Shepherds do?  They calm their sheep, they help them feel less anxious by their constant presence. The voice of a shepherd alone can settle a frighted flock. 

Jesus does not want us to be so anxious and fearful as he knows what fear does to us. Fear robs of our ability to think clearly, to believe things about others we know aren’t true. It diminishes our capacity to feel joy, to value what we do have versus fretting about what we don’t have. Jesus wants us to know that a life lived anxiously or in fear, was not the reason he died for us.  Jesus died to bring us the fullness of life, not a small circle we sometimes draw to feel ‘safe’ in.

Fear hurts our ability to connect with others…to see another’s pain or hardships.  We don’t have to solve anyone’s problems, but can we tame our fears and anxieties enough to be able to do something to relieve someone else’s suffering? 

My 89 year old father is still grieving the loss of his wonderful wife 13 months ago. For a while, he as very angry with God and was often bitter about the turn his life had taken. One day I stopped in to say ‘hello’ and he had a smile on his face. He had just hung up the phone and told me the widow thanked him for reaching out to her as she felt so alone. Dad’s phone call helped her see she wasn’t abandoned, that someone cared for her. At 89, my dad can only do limited Deacon duties now, but he has started a phone ministry. There are about 15 people weekly he checks in on and his calls have become a lifeline for many of those people. At the same time, this new ministry has been so life giving to him. He still fiercely misses my mom, but his bitterness and anger have been significantly diminished.

The Good Shepherd came to bring us peace and to reduce our fears by teaching us we are never alone, that God is always with us. I also think Jesus tried to help us see those on the margins. My sense is that Jesus is calling us to move beyond the flock of “me” to the flock of “we.”   And based on my father’s experience, the flock of “we” is a much better place to be. 

Now how to become part of that flock of “we” will be a work in progress for all of us as it seems like fear and hate are so much easier to summon than love and understanding. Several years, I made a silent retreat at the Jesuit retreat house on Lake Wiinnebago in Oshkosh, WI. (And really, those of you who know me, stop laughing!) 

The beauty of my surroundings and the peacefulness of that holy ground refreshed my spirit and helped me see what was limiting my life…what was making my circle so small.  Sitting by the lake and watching the pelicans brought me this prayer that is nudging me towards the peace the Good Shepherd is calling us to.
(Thanks to St. Francis for the template.)

Gracious God,
          Help me move…
                   From judging to understanding
                   From anticipating to participating
                   From fear to trust
                   From controlling to including
                   From feeling overwhelming to gratitude for my full life
                   And from anxiety to your peace.
                   I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

For those of you whom music especially speaks to, this song is just about perfect for today’s readings.

Now go in peace so you can bring peace to others today. 

 http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

FOOD AND LOVE

“He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them at great length.” —Mark 6:34

The main responsibility of a shepherd is to feed his sheep. Jesus the Good Shepherd is preoccupied with feeding His sheep. He Himself went without food (Mk 6:31) to feed His sheep by teaching them at great length. The way Jesus wants us to show our love for Him is by feeding His sheep (Jn 21:17).

We need both physical and spiritual feeding, but the most important is spiritual. We are fed spiritually in two ways: Holy Communion and God’s Word. Jesus said: “My flesh is real food” (Jn 6:55) and “Not on bread alone is man to live but on every utterance that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).

This booklet, One Bread, One Body, is intended to feed the sheep in these two ways. We teach the Scripture readings for the daily Eucharist to encourage all our readers to read the Bible and to go to Mass and Holy Communion daily. We feed the sheep in this way because we love the sheep, and especially we love the Shepherd.

Prayer:  Jesus, by Your Spirit, may I lose my appetite for the things of this world and desire You, the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35).

Promise:  “In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” —Eph 2:13

Praise:  “After this I heard what sounded like the loud song of a great assembly in heaven. They were singing: ‘Alleluia! Salvation, glory and might belong to our God’ ” (Rv 19:1). Praise the risen Jesus! 

 http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/

  What does the image of a shepherd tell us about God's care for us? Shepherding was one of the oldest of callings in Israel, even before farming, since the Chosen People had traveled from place to place, living in tents, and driving their flocks from one pasture to another. Looking after sheep was no easy calling. It required great skill and courage. Herds were often quite large, thousands or even ten thousands of sheep. The flocks spent a good part of the year in the open country. Watching over them required a great deal of attention and care.

Stray sheep must be brought back lest they die
Sheep who strayed from the flock had to be sought out and brought back by the shepherd. Since hyenas, jackals, wolves, and even bear were common and fed on sheep, the shepherds often had to do battle with these wild and dangerous beasts. A shepherd literally had to put his life on the line in defending his sheep. Shepherds took turns watching the sheep at night to ward off any attackers. The sheep and their shepherds continually lived together. Their life was so intimately bound together that individual sheep, even when mixed with other flocks, could recognize the voice of their own shepherd and would come immediately when called by name.

God himself leads us like a good shepherd
The Old Testament often spoke of God as shepherd of his people, Israel. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! (Psalm 80:1) We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). The Messiah is also pictured as the shepherd of God's people: He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11).

Jesus told his disciples that he was the Good Shepherd who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep (Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4, John 10). When he saw the multitude of people in need of protection and care, he was moved to respond with compassionate concern. His love was a personal love for each and every person who came to him in need.

Jesus is the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls
Peter the apostle called Jesus the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Do you know the peace and security of a life freely submitted to Jesus, the Good Shepherd? In the person of the Lord Jesus we see the unceasing vigilance and patience of God's love. In our battle against sin and evil, Jesus is ever ready to give us help, strength, and refuge. Do you trust in his grace and help at all times?

Lord Jesus, you guard and protect us from all evil. Help me to stand firm in your word and to trust in your help in all circumstances. May I always find rest and refuge in the shelter of your presence.

Psalm 23:1-6

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 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 for ever.

Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The good shepherd feeds us with the words of God, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!' (Psalm 119:103)."(excerpt from Sermon 366.3)

Meditations may be freely reprinted for non-commercial use - plea

 

 

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