Homilies

16th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: THE RETURN OF THE APOSTLES

THE GOSPEL PASSAGE that we heard today is a sequel of the passage that we heard last Sunday. Let it be recalled that Jesus summoned the Twelve, sent them in pairs, and were given instructions on what to do while they were on a mission.

Today, we heard that their mission was done. They went back and reported to Jesus what had happened in that missionary journey. There was no mention of the details though, unlike in other Synoptic gospels, but we can presume that they did things exactly what Jesus had instructed them.

Firstly, we can surmise that Jesus caught sight of Jesus of the apostles’ appearance. They were tired, weary and perhaps, hungry. Jesus was aware of their immediate need. Thus, he instructed them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while”. They must have been overworked, and so, they needed a re-charging of themselves. They can do that by resting in a secluded place, away from the crowd, and the “busy-ness” of life.

Our world today is becoming more and more a busy world. Ordinary days have become longer and people have less time to relax. Every day is filled with stress, brought about by the surrounding, the work place, and others. Life today can be stressful indeed. For some people, they no longer see the direction of their life. To re-order one’s life, some moments of silence and reflection are needed. One needs to get rid of the hectic and busy schedules by spending time with God and with the family. Some families have maximized their Sundays. They attend the holy Mass and they spend quality time with each other.

Secondly, while Jesus took the disciples off to a quiet place so that they can relax, the crowd spotted them. We may expect Jesus to be irritated because of this non-considerate crowd. He could have told them to go home. But it did not work that way. The gospel said that when Jesus saw the crowd, “his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd”.

In the First Reading, through the prophet Jeremiah, we heard of Yahweh’s warning of punishment to wicked shepherds who scattered the sheep and did not care for them. Because of this, Yahweh promised to appoint shepherds who will take care of the flock so that they will no longer fear and tremble. And Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy. He is the shepherd mentioned in the Responsorial Psalm, and He is a shepherd who is compassionate toward his people.

We can draw a lesson from the open-hearted behavior of Christ in placing the needs of others before his own. If there is little rest or no rest for Jesus, then there is also little rest or no rest for his followers. This often happens in the parish. When a priest is about to take rest, somebody knocks at the door with a request for an anointing of a sick. In this situation, a priest has to postpone his rest. The needs of others should be prior to his needs. He needs to sacrifice it. But this will only happen if a shepherd or priest has the heart of Jesus. In other words, his heart should know how to feel mercy and compassion to the people in need.

Thirdly, moved by compassion, Jesus “began to teach the crowd many things”. In the life of Jesus, teaching is part of shepherding. Jesus patiently sets out to teach them the Good News of God. He communicates the Word of God to them.

Many people within our Christian communities want and need more solid instruction than what they’re getting. Consequently, we need shepherds who share with them the message of Jesus. Teaching is among the chief ministries of a priest. The priest is a teacher and he should not be tired of teaching the people. Priests should follow the path of Jesus by teaching his parishioners “many things”. AMEN.

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