19/07/2009 - 16th. Sunday in Ordinary
Season - B
1st. Reading Jer 23,1-6 Psalm 22 2nd. Reading Eph 2,13-18 Gospel Mk 6,30-34
"Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". Jesus said these
words to those whom he call friends to pass on to them what he had heard from
the Father! The plans and the will of God are not therefore something mysterious,
impossible to know, on the contrary, being our Father and we his children, we
have the joy of being able to receive his revelation. The prayer which we today
contemplate is in fact the desire to know what the Father plans: we desire to
know them because we want to commit ourselves, heart, mind and body to realize
his plans. We want to make ours the will of Our Father, and ours the way to
make it real. How to do to know what our God wants? Most of what God wants is
revealed to us through the Bible, that speaks of his commandments. Other signs
of God's will, reach us through his "apostles', our bishops, who were sent
by Jesus who said: " who listens to you, listens to me". Life circumstances
challenge us day by day and put us into a position to choose: our choices are
based on those principles that we normally live by and stand for in humility
and with peace. Most of our daily choices are consequences of other choices,
like that of the state of life, of work, in the other social or ecclesial commitments.
Those who chose marriage are to always remember their bond of love to protect
it from all attacks, grow in it and deepen their commitment. In front of proposals
from friends and work colleges, or others, one is to keep in mind the needs
and the desires of the other partner to give preference to him or her. Those
who are committed in an association or a voluntary group know that it is the
will of God to be faithful to one's commitments. To love means to be faithful,
like to be good, merciful and humble. The loving character in God is an indication
of how God wants that us to live our loving obedience to him.
The words of Jeremiah manifest God's intention to have people to serve him and
to give to all the signs of his love. Those who are adorned with the gifts of
government are placed to be at the service of others, of all the people, and
are to love with the same love God loves them. But men are sinners, and carry
sin even into the ministry they received from God, therefore God has to intervene
to correct them. His correction is not light: the shepherds that think only
for themselves don't only sin through selfishness, but impede people to enjoy
the blessing of God's care. With regards to the sin of the world, during the
Easter Vigil we sing: "O felix culpa"!, as if we want to see sin as
a blessing because it caused us a savior through whom we can contemplate and
experience the love of God himself. Today, the words of Jeremiah, help us to
think about this mystery: since the shepherds of the people were unfaithful,
God himself take over the leading of his sheep, bring them together and feed
them. This is a good news! How is he going to do it? Through other shepherds,
but above all, through one, "a righteous shoot, who shall reign and govern
wisely" who shall be called "The Lord our justice". It is a prophecy
of Jesus, which the evangelist don't hesitate to attribute movements and attitudes
of tenderness and of careful love, exactly like those of a true shepherd towards
his sheep, who are not able to take care of themselves. That's why today we
contemplate Jesus who brings together his disciples to listen to them, and invite
them to rest, offering himself to be intimate with them in a surprisingly tender
way. He does not hesitate to "loose" time with them, even though the
crowds were looking for him. And when these find him, he shows his disciples
what they were to be, compassionate shepherds, able to forget their own needs
to see the need of all the others. The crowds that look for Jesus are "like
sheep without a shepherd", and he, with his teachings, give them the true
nourishment they need. He is the one about whom Jeremiah spoke, the presence
of the strong and faithful love of God, the shepherd who is a true king, through
whose "guidance, Israel shall be saved" and shall "live in peace".
Men have also understood, and therefore they don't look for others expect for
Jesus. Those who search in other places remain disappointed, because men, with
all their good intentions, can only give the fruit of their own vanity and sin.
We look always and only to Jesus, according to the revelation of which today
st. Paul makes us part. He, the consecrated of God, offered himself for all,
both for his people and for all peoples. His offering was brought to completion
and made definitive through his own death, by which he drew all to God. What
we might think is important to be justified and therefore to be ready for eternity,
risk being nothing. The Law is not even any more necessary for the Jews. Are
you committed to fulfill the Law? You risk being proud at heart because of all
you are trying to do and which makes you tired at the end. The observation of
the law is a form of a dangerous love. Only Jesus has lived it as an complete
answer to the love of the Father, that why we rejoice in him, and welcome him
in our lives so that he can bring his love in us to perfection without any egoisms.
This is his peace that build our communion with all as children of the same
Father!