The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the image of Sheep and Shepherd as insight to Jesus' mission and our response.
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews concludes in a Benediction.
* [13:17–25] Recommending obedience to the leaders of the community, the author asks for prayers (Heb 13:17–19). The letter concludes with a blessing (Heb 13:20–21), a final request for the acceptance of its message (Heb 13:22), information regarding Timothy (Heb 13:23), and general greetings (Heb 13:24–25).
* [13:20–21] These verses constitute one of the most beautiful blessings in the New Testament. The resurrection of Jesus is presupposed throughout Hebrews, since it is included in the author’s frequently expressed idea of his exaltation, but this is the only place where it is explicitly mentioned. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)
Psalm 23 praises the Divine Shepherd.
* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).
* [23:1] My shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ez 34:11–16; Jn 10:11–18).
* [23:3] Right paths: connotes “right way” and “way of righteousness.”
* [23:5] You set a table before me: this expression occurs in an exodus context in Ps 78:19. In front of my enemies: my enemies see that I am God’s friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Ps 104:15; Mt 26:7; Lk 7:37, 46; Jn 12:2).
* [23:6] Goodness and mercy: the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel. (Psalms, PSALM 23, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, the return of the Twelve leads to feeding the Five Thousand.
* [6:30] Apostles: here, and in some manuscripts at Mk 3:14, Mark calls apostles (i.e., those sent forth) the Twelve whom Jesus sends as his emissaries, empowering them to preach, to expel demons, and to cure the sick (Mk 6:13). Only after Pentecost is the title used in the technical sense.
* [6:31–34] The withdrawal of Jesus with his disciples to a desert place to rest attracts a great number of people to follow them. Toward this people of the new exodus Jesus is moved with pity; he satisfies their spiritual hunger by teaching them many things, thus gradually showing himself the faithful shepherd of a new Israel; cf. Nm 27:17; Ez 34:15. (Mark, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)
Edward Morse comments about Our Lord’s response – to teach – that seems anomalous. During our brief shepherding days, it never occurred to any of us to try to teach the lambs anything. Herein lies a point of tension in the shepherd/sheep analogy. The shepherd’s motivation to rescue, protect, and preserve the sheep might usefully reveal the heart of God toward his people, but we differ from sheep in some respects. From experience, we know that we are not always gratefully disposed toward the shepherd. Sometimes we are not as easy to love as an innocent lamb. But on the plus side, we are apparently teachable! How will we respond to those lessons?
Lord, thank you for finding us lovable and showing mercy to us, even when we respond ungratefully. Sometimes we need assurance that you are near, that our cries of “baa” do not offend you, and that your love is never far away. When we forget this, help us to remind one another. Help us open our hearts and our ears to receive the teaching that you are sharing with us with humility and gratitude. Thanks be to God. (Morse, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The good shepherd feeds us with the words of God,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!' (Psalm 119:103)."(excerpt from Sermon 366.3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 6:30-34 comments that Jesus’ attention turns from the disciples to the crowd, and he opens his heart to them. Instead of blowing up in anger or seeking to escape their demands, Jesus expands his vision. He doesn’t see just a faceless crowd. He sees in each person a lost sheep, someone who is longing for his word and his touch. And so he willingly cares for them.
In those times, when we face situations like this, we can pause and recall today’s Gospel. We can take just a moment and invite Jesus to be with us and ask for his grace. That may be all we need for our hearts to change. That may be all we need to experience Jesus’ peace and his generosity. Even when we have so little left in reserve, somehow Jesus will make it enough.
“Jesus, fill my heart and make it more like yours!” (Meditation on Mark 6:30-34, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that the parenesis in the text yesterday from Hebrews transitions into a benediction with a call to faith and blessings for the community. Jesus models the need for recharging our batteries to maintain our motivation for our mission. Friar Jude shares his experience of Jesus portrayed as both Sheep and Shepherd in ancient mosaics.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, invites us to find our favorite poem and see if it becomes real in a new way when we do more than read it silently. One of his favorite poets is Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926). Here is one of his poems translated from German. Read it aloud or sign it slowly, meditatively.
I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.
I want to free what waits within me
so that what no one has dared to wish for
may for once spring clear
without my contriving.
If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
but this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
no forcing and no holding back,
the way it is with children.
Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
these deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing you as no one ever has,
streaming through widening channels
into the open sea. (Rohr, 2023)
We can find comfort and tension in the pattern of our relationship to the Good Shepherd in our roles as sheep and as leaders in His flock.
References
Hebrews, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/13?15
Mark, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?
Meditation on Mark 6:30-34. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/02/04/601159/
Morse, E. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020423.html
Psalms, PSALM 23. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23?1
Rohr, R. (2023, February 4). The First Half of Life: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-first-half-of-life-weekly-summary-2023-02-04/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Come Away and Rest a While. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=feb4
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