DECIMO SEXTO DOMINGO DEL TIEMPO ORDINARIO.

En este domingo Jesús es presentado como el cumplimiento de la profecía de Jeremías, que mucho tiempo atrás había profetizado que Dios Padre, enviaría a un pastor a su medida descendiente de David. En la primera lectura el profeta Jeremías amonesta a los pastores, es decir, a los líderes políticos y religiosos del pueblo de Israel quienes no habían cumplido el encargo de Dios de cuidar de su rebaño y por el contrario lo habían descuidado y se habían aprovechado de él. En ese contexto el profeta les asegura a estos pastores que Dios va a enviar a su mensajero para que cumpla la misión de encargarse de su pueblo y cuidar con amor de él. San Pablo en su carta les recuerda a los Efesios que en Jesús todos somos creaturas nuevas llamados a la reconciliación y la paz y que por lo tanto en los cristianos ya no hay cabida para el odio, ni las divisiones, ni las discriminaciones y la violencia, sino que por el contrario somos mensajeros de paz por la gracia del Espíritu que actúa en nosotros. Que interesante recordar este mensaje y ponerlo en práctica en nuestras vidas recordando que somos mensajeros de paz y de reconciliación entre todos. Pregúntate hoy si en el lugar donde te encuentras eres instrumento de paz y de reconciliación.

En el evangelio de Marcos encontramos cuatro ideas importantes. Primero los discípulos vuelven para contar a Jesús lo que habían realizado en la misión, segundo, Jesús los invita a un lugar callado para descansar y conversar, tercero la multitud lo busca y cuarto la compasión que siente Jesús por su pueblo hasta el punto de olvidarse de sí, atender a la gente y enseñarles por mucho tiempo.

Primero, los discípulos querían contarle a Jesús el éxito de su misión y cómo les había ido. Después de cumplir el trabajo vuelven a Jesús para reencontrarse con él y conversar con él. Esta idea es muy importante mis queridos hermanos, después de nuestras tareas cotidianas y nuestras misiones debemos volver a Jesús para encontrarnos con él en oración.

Segundo Jesús los invita a apartarse de la gente para estar a solas con él y descansar. Es muy importante en la vida de los cristianos encontrar esos espacios para el descanso y el encuentro con Dios. No todo puede ser trabajo, también se necesita del descanso y de un tiempo a solas con Dios. Te pregunto yo a ti, ¿tienes tiempo de descanso y de estar a solas con Jesús? ¿Sacas tiempo para conversar con él y contarle como va tu vida?

Tercero, el texto nos muestra que la gente deseaba estar con Jesús, lo buscaban porque sabían que él tenía algo interesante para contarles, porque encontraban en él al pastor que necesitaban que los guiara. ¿Buscas tu a Jesús? ¿Vas a los lugares donde crees que lo puedes encontrar?

Cuarto Jesús se compadece de su pueblo porque estaban como ovejas sin pastor, aunque el objetivo de Jesús era estar a solas con sus discípulos no lo pudo cumplir porque la gente se le adelantó al lugar a donde él iba con ellos y al verlos cambió de planes y empezó a compartir con ellos. Es muy importante ver en este texto la flexibilidad de Jesús para cambiar de planes y acoger con compasión a la gente. Para él estaba por encima de todo el servicio a su pueblo, ya que para eso fue enviado por el Padre, para encargarse personalmente de su pueblo porque estaban como ovejas sin pastor. El salmo 23 nos recuerda que Jesús es nuestro pastor, que él va con nosotros, nos acompaña y nunca nos deja solos, que, aunque caminemos en algún momento de nuestras vidas por cañadas oscuras siempre contamos con su presencia. Qué bueno mis queridos hermanos que busquemos esos espacios de soledad en nuestras vidas para estar a solas con Jesús y sentir que él nos ama y que su compasión es un bálsamo al que siempre podemos recurrir.

-P. Luis

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SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME.

On this Sunday Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy, which long ago He had prophesied that God the Father would send a shepherd descended from David. On the first reading the Prophet Jeremiah admonishes the shepherds, that is, the political and religious leaders of the people of Israel who do not They had fulfilled God's commission to take care of their flock and on the contrary they had neglected it and had become taken advantage of him. In this context, the prophet assures these shepherds that God is going to send his messenger to fulfill the mission of taking care of his people and caring for him with love. Saint Paul in his letter reminds the Ephesians that in Jesus we are all new creatures called to reconciliation and peace and that therefore in Christians we no longer there is no room for hate, nor divisions, nor discrimination and violence, but on the contrary we are messengers of peace by the grace of the Spirit that acts in us. How interesting to remember this message and put it into practice in our lives remembering that we are messengers of peace and reconciliation among all. Ask yourself today if The place where you are is an instrument of peace and reconciliation.

In the gospel of Mark we find four important ideas. First the disciples return to tell Jesus what that they had carried out on the mission, second, Jesus invites them to a quiet place to rest and talk, third multitude seeks him and fourth the compassion that Jesus feels for his people to the point of forgetting himself, attending to the people and teach them for a long time.

First, the disciples wanted to tell Jesus about the success of his mission and how it had gone. After completing the job They return to Jesus to meet him again and talk to him. This idea is very important my dear brothers, After our daily tasks and our missions we must return to Jesus to meet him in prayer.

Second, Jesus invites them to separate themselves from the people to be alone with him and rest. It is very important in the lives of Christians find those spaces for rest and encounter with God. Not everything can be work, too It takes rest and time alone with God. I ask you, do you have time to rest and be alone with Jesus? Do you make time to talk to him and tell him how your life is going?

Third, the text shows us that the People wanted to be with Jesus, they sought him because they knew that he had something interesting to tell them, because They found in him the shepherd they needed to guide them. Are you looking for Jesus? Do you go to places where you think you can find?

Fourth, Jesus feels sorry for his people because they were like sheep without a shepherd, although the objective of Jesus could not accomplish it because the people beat him to the place where he was going with his disciples. them and upon seeing them he changed his plans and began to share with them. It is very important to see in this text the flexibility of Jesus to change plans and welcome people with compassion. For him, service to others was above all. his people, since that is why he was sent by the Father, to personally take care of his people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Psalm 23 reminds us that Jesus is our shepherd, that he goes with us, accompanies us and never He leaves us alone, that, even if we walk through dark ravines at some point in our lives, we always have the presence of him. How good my dear brothers that we look for those spaces of solitude in our lives to be at alone with Jesus and feel that he loves us and that his compassion is a balm to which we can always turn.

-Fr. Luis

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They Needed to Rest…

Today’s Gospel passage tells us that after their first mission, the Apostles returned to Jesus and told him “all that they had done and taught”. After the experience of the mission, which was undoubtedly thrilling but also arduous, they needed to rest. And understanding this well, Jesus wished to give them some relief and said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest for a while”. But Jesus’ intention could not be fulfilled this time because the crowd, guessing the location of the lonely place where he would take the disciples by boat, ran there and got there ahead of them. The same can happen today. At times we are not able to complete our projects because something urgent and unexpected occurs, disrupting our plans and [this] requires flexibility and being available to the needs of others.

In these situations, we are called to imitate what Jesus did: “As he landed, he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things”. With this brief sentence, the Evangelist offers us a flash of singular intensity, taking a snapshot of the eyes of the divine Master and his teaching. Let us observe the three verbs in this frame: to see, to have compassion, to teach. We can call them the Shepherd’s verbs. The gaze of Jesus is not a neutral one — or worse, a cold and detached one because Jesus always looks with the eyes of the heart. And his heart is so tender and filled with compassion, that he is able to understand even the most hidden needs of people. Moreover, his compassion does not simply suggest an emotional response toward people in situations of distress. It is much more. It is God’s attitude and predisposition toward mankind and its history. Jesus appears as the fulfillment of God’s concern and care for his people.

Because Jesus was moved when he saw all those people in need of guidance and help, we would now expect him to perform some miracles. Instead, he began teaching them many things. This is the first bread that the Messiah offers to the starving and lost crowd; the bread of the Word. We all need the Word of truth to guide and illuminate our way. Without the truth which is Christ himself, it is not

possible to find the right direction in life. When we distance ourselves from Jesus and his love, we become lost and life is transformed into disappointment and dissatisfaction. With Jesus by our side, we can proceed with confidence and overcome all trials, advancing in love toward God and neighbor.

Jesus gave himself for others, thus becoming an example of love and service for each of us.

May Mary Most Holy help us to bear the problems, suffering and difficulties of our neighbors with an attitude of sharing and service. [Synthesized from Pope Francis, Angelus 22 VII 2018]

-Fr. Rajesh

16th Sunday – Cycle B

My friends – our gospel today is one of the most powerful.  It contains the ultimate message of hope.  Hope for everyone because God chose to love us into creation and we have Jesus as our shepherd to guide us.

 Today, Jesus refers to sheep and the shepherd because that was the lifestyle and reality – in the region at the time.

When the disciples came back from their mission they reported to Jesus all that they had done.  The demanding crowds were so insistent that they had no time even to eat.  So – Jesus told them to come with him to a lonely place so they might have peace and rest.

Here we see what might be called the rhythm of the Christian life.  The Christian life is a continuous going into the presence of God from the presence of people and coming out of the presence of God into the presence of people.

It is like the rhythm of sleep and work.  We cannot work unless we have our time of rest – and sleep will not come unless we have worked until we are tired.

In this rhythm –  we have two dangers in life:

·         First – there’s the danger of constant activity.  If we are too busy – we don’t give God the opportunity to speak to us because we don’t know how to be still and listen.

·         Secondly – there’s the danger of too much withdrawal.  Devotion without action is not real devotion.  Prayer without work is not real prayer.  Pope Francis says it well:  “You pray for the hungry.  Then you feed them.  This is how prayer works.”

In our gospel today –  when Jesus and his men stepped out of the boat – the very crowd from which they had sought some peace was there waiting for them.  The rest that Jesus so much desired was denied him.  His privacy was gone. 

But Jesus was so moved with pity when he looked at the crowd – knowing they wanted what he alone could give them.  They were like sheep who had no shepherd.

·         A sheep without the shepherd cannot find its way.  Left to ourselves – we get lost in life.  We’re on the right path only when Jesus leads and we follow.

·         A sheep without the shepherd can’t even find pasture and food. In this life we need the strength and inspiration which can lift us out of ourselves and above ourselves.  When we seek it elsewhere – our minds and hearts are restless – our souls unfed.

·         A sheep without the shepherd has no defense against the dangers which threaten it.  It cannot defend itself from robbers and wild beasts. 

·         If life has taught us one thing it must be that we cannot live it alone.  No one can defend themselves from the temptations and evil of the world. 

Knowing that Jesus is our Shepherd is one of the most comforting images we could ever have of being protected – being cared for – and being loved unconditionally.  

That’s why the analogy of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is crucial.  The good shepherd takes care of – and protects his sheep from thieves and marauders – from leaders who would lead us astray with lies and deception. 

The Good Shepherd not only protects his sheep – he goes after and brings back the lost sheep who left the flock – or were driven away – for whatever reason. 

He also goes after and reaches out to those who are called the ‘Black Sheep’ of the family – because they are different…

My friends – today’s gospel gives hope to those of us who might be worried about someone – who we perceive – as having gone astray.  Jesus goes after and rescues those who are considered hopeless.

No one is beyond Christ’s reach.  No one is beyond reconciliation.