Daily Readings - Sun Jul 22 2018

¹"Woe to the shepherds who scatter and tear apart the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord²Because of this, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to the shepherds who pasture my people: You have scattered my flock, and you have driven them away, and you have not visited them. Behold, I will visit upon you because of your evil pursuits, says the Lord³And I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the entire earth, from the places to which I had cast them out. And I will return them to their own fields. And they will increase and be multiplied⁴And I will raise up shepherds over them, and they will pasture them. They will no longer dread, and they will no longer fear. And no one among their number will be seeking more, says the Lord⁵Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch. And a king will reign, and he will be wise. And he will exercise judgment and justice upon the earth⁶In those days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in confidence. And this is the name that they will call him: ‘The Lord, our Just One.

Ephesians

Chapter 2

¹³But now, in Christ Jesus, you, who were in times past far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ¹⁴For he is our peace. He made the two into one, by dissolving the intermediate wall of separation, of opposition, by his flesh¹⁵emptying the law of commandments by decree, so that he might join these two, in himself, into one new man, making peac¹⁶and reconciling both to God, in one body, through the cross, destroying this opposition in himself¹⁷And upon arriving, he evangelized peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near¹⁸For by him, we both have access, in the one Spirit, to the Father

Mark

Chapter 6

³⁰And the Apostles, returning to Jesus, reported to him everything that they had done and taught³¹And he said to them, "Go out alone, into a deserted place, and rest for a little while." For there were so many who were coming and going, that they did not even have time to eat³²And climbing into a boat, they went away to a deserted place alone³³And they saw them going away, and many knew about it. And together they ran by foot from all the cities, and they arrived before them³⁴And Jesus, going out, saw a great multitude. And he took pity on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of leadership, unity, and compassion. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear God’s lament over the shepherds who have failed to care for His people. These shepherds, entrusted with the well-being of the flock, have instead scattered and neglected them. Yet, in the midst of this failure, God promises to gather the remnant of His flock and appoint new shepherds who will lead with wisdom and justice. This passage is set against the backdrop of Israel’s history, where the monarchy had often failed to live up to its calling. Jeremiah’s prophecy looks forward to a messianic figure, a “righteous branch” from David, who will bring restoration and peace. In the second reading from Ephesians, we see how this promise of restoration is fulfilled in Christ. Paul writes that Christ has broken down the walls of division between Jews and Gentiles, reconciling them into one body through His sacrifice on the cross. This unity is not just a abstract idea but a lived reality made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. The early Christian community, like the Israelites before them, had experienced division and separation, but in Christ, they are brought near and given access to the Father. This passage emphasizes that the peace of Christ is not just for individuals but for the entire community, creating a new way of living together in harmony. The Gospel from Mark brings these themes together in the person of Jesus. After a busy period of ministry, Jesus invites His disciples to rest in a deserted place. Yet, when they arrive, they find a crowd of people who are like “sheep without a shepherd.” Moved by compassion, Jesus takes on the role of the shepherd, teaching and caring for them. This passage highlights Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd, who gathers the scattered, teaches the ignorant, and brings peace to the troubled. It also reminds us that even in our busiest moments, we are called to respond to the needs of others with compassion and care. These readings challenge us to reflect on our own role as shepherds in the world. Like the disciples, we are called to rest in God’s presence, but we are also called to go out and care for those around us. In a world that often feels fragmented and divided, we are reminded that Christ is our peace and our unity. As we strive to live out this unity, we must also remember the compassion and wisdom of the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His flock. Let us ask for the grace to be shepherds after God’s own heart, leading others with love, justice, and peace.