16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Today we celebrate the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time and the annual Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patroness of our parish family.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus leaves his quiet resting place — moved by his concern for those who need his teaching and care. Today’s liturgy encourages us all to become the shepherds that our world so desperately needs at this time.
- To the point: The crowds are relentless in pursuing Jesus and the disciples. They do not even give them time to rest. But what are the crowds really pursuing? And what is it that Jesus begins to teach them? Jesus knows there is more to satisfying human needs than miracles. Physical healing is a sign of salvation, an invitation to take up a new way of thinking and living. Jesus responds to the crowd as their healer, yes. But even more he reveals himself to be their Shepherd and Teacher who challenges the crowd about what they are truly to pursue.
- Connecting the Gospel (Mark 6: 30-34) to the first reading: When authority is misused, the sheep are scattered, driven away, not cared for; the shepherd will be punished. Jeremiah foresees the coming of a good and righteous shepherd, Jesus, who teaches us all we need to know to come to salvation.
- Connecting the Gospel to our experience: We are driven to do whatever is necessary to overcome physical difficulties. We must be equally relentless in overcoming whatever keeps us from growing spiritually and coming to fullness of life in Christ.
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(Mark 6: 30-34)
“His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep
without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.”
Yesterday, like sheep with no shepherd, they fled to you.
You saw them. You were moved with pity.
You began to teach them many things.
Today, we are the crowd desperate that you look on us
with pity and teach us many things.
How to care for each other;
to care for all the planet;
to end war and the need for immigration;
to stop violence, to care for all children,
and to feed all hungry people
everywhere, with your food and your truth.
Make us your good shepherds.
The First Reading
(Jeremiah 23: 1-6)
“I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble.”
Guatemalan coffee-growers plead for fair prices.
African children in the millions starve.
Haitians are overrun with gangs.
Clean water for the poor?
Lord, let us care like you do.
Help us to produce what is right and just.
The Second Reading
(Ephesians 2: 13-18)
“For he is our peace, he who … broke down the dividing wall.”
Jews, Gentiles, Catholics, Protestants,
developers and tree-huggers,
conservatives, liberals, women with men,
can now meet as one. The place of meeting
is Christ. His word is peace.
Lord, break down the dividing wall;
bring us together, in quiet in you.
Copyright © 2024, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for reflection
Special parish feast day music