Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

July 22, 2018 

Readings:

First Reading: Jeremiah 23: 1-6

Psalm: 23

Second Reading: Ephesian 2: 13-18

Gospel reading according to Mark 6: 30-34

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Homily:

When Jesus called the twelve apostles to himself and gave them instructions on what they could do when they go house to house, town to town, and city to city in undertaking missionary works, by preaching repentance and proclaiming the Reign-Kingdom of God accompanied with expelling demons and bad spirits, and curing sickness using anointing oil, carrying nothing except walking stick and wearing sandals on their feet but no food, no money in their pockets, and even extra clothes and other provisions, just trust to the Providential God the Father who provides their needs while they are living in a house of a certain family.  And the apostles left full of trust and confidence in Jesus’s teachings and instructions (cf. 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Mark 6: 7-13, July 15).  After a week or month or two, after performing what Jesus told them, without any letter, telephone, cellphone, internet, Facebook, as one in heart and mind despite of the distances to one another, and nobody told them that Jesus was calling them; as one body, they returned to Jesus full of energy and enthusiasm.  “The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught” (Mk. 6: 30).  All of them arrived on the same day and on the same time, in the same place, two by twos.  And each one of them brought good news and reported and shared to each other what had happened when they were doing apostolic works, while Jesus listened to their stories intently and happy to the attitudes and dispositions of his apostles after that mission. 

As a good leader and experienced preacher, Jesus knew very well how was the feeling of exhaustion and fatigue of his disciples’ body and spirit.  He knew they needed rest to regain their strength after days of commissioning and proclaiming the repentance for the forgiveness of sin and curing different illnesses and sicknesses aside from driving out evil spirits to different places, to many peoples.  “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile’.” (Mk. 6: 31).  They needed rest to a deserted place where there is no one to disturb them, so that they can sleep and eat better.  The same with Jesus’ experiences, for after preaching and teaching, and curing many sick people and driving out demons, he rested to deserted places and prayed of thanksgiving to His providential Father, God who gives him strength and courage to do His will.

The people, whom the disciples visited, preached, taught and cured different sickness and evil spirits followed the apostles for they found in them the God who loves them and remembers them.  They learned also that they were apostles of Jesus whom he sent and they came first before he will visit them.  In their reports, at least he knew already the terrain, the peoples and their situations before he will visit them.  But the people could not wait.  They were eager to see Jesus and the apostles.  So they came in great numbers.  At the same time also the apostles became popular to the ordinary people whom they visited.   That was why, “People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat” (Mk 6: 31).  Because the people who came and gone were in great numbers and they have had to attend to their needs, so they have no opportunity even to eat their meal.  They lost their privacy, too.  That is the result when we go out and do extra-ordinary to ordinary people, they will take all the opportunities to receive much of our attentions, so be ready to sacrifice even our personal needs and time, and even ourselves.

But they have to go.  Jesus saw the need and the importance of rest for his apostles.  It is not good for the soul and body of the apostles to work much and to give more attentions to the needs of other peoples and left behind their spiritual and physical needs.  “So they went off in the boat themselves to a deserted place” (Mk. 6: 32).  Jesus’ decision is final.  The apostles must not plagued by the multitude of people.  They must learn also to live in the spirit of prayer and devotion, of silence and rest in the Lord, as in the Book of Genesis, God worked for six days and rested in the seventh day.  So also the apostles/missionaries, after six days of work, they must rest in the Lord on the seventh day.  We have to find rest for our soul and body to refresh us and to continue doing apostolic/missionary works in the vineyard of the Lord.   

The people in need can see easily where they can find the answer to satisfy their needs.  They are also very sensitive and aware to what is happening in their surroundings.  They can sense that something is missing.  The apostles were leaving (but not escaping) to go to another place.  “People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.  They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them” (Mk. 6: 33).  The news spread like a blowing wind so many came to know the leaving of the apostles and Jesus.  They did not want to be left behind.  The people were worried that the Apostles and Jesus might not return, so they ran as fast as they could to catch them.  And, they came ahead to the place before Jesus and the Apostles arrived.

Jesus came first to disembarked from the boat, for the apostles were still tired and moved less/slowly.  Only this time they felt the sleepiness due to tiredness of their body.  Upon dismemberment, Jesus saw the multitude of peoples from different places or countries or cities.  They too were exhausted running after them on foot; they were like wild and hungry animals searching for food.  “When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things” (Mk. 6: 34).  When Jesus saw the people, his sacred heart was hurt and moved with pity for them, for they were people in need of love, support, understanding, acceptance; for they were people at a lost that need accompaniment and guide; for they were people without good leaders to lead them to a better life, good health and prosperous living, they are like sheep without a shepherd, rather their leaders were taken their dignity as human beings, their leaders allowed the wolves to massacre them, to make them poorer while they were enjoying (nagpapakasasa) lushness in life, without care to their subordinates.  They put more burden, like in our present situations, e.g.,   like TRAIN, contractualization, unemployment and underemployment, inflation rate is going higher and uncontrollable, high prices o f basic commodities, rampant corruption, mass killing of alleged drug users and pushers, etc.  The people during the time of Jesus experienced from their leaders were not doing any things to alleviate the miserable life situations of their constituents.  That is why people are looking for someone who can help them.  And they found it in Jesus and in his apostles.  Jesus as a good leader, healer and teacher, a good shepherd taught them with many things, which include the goodness of the loving God, the Father.