Reflection for Sunday – July 21, 2024

Cathy KampSunday Readings Homilies

Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2: 13-18; Mark 6: 30-34 
Preacher: Cathy Kamp

Like many of us in the latter part of July, the newly appointed, hard-working apostles in Mark’s Gospel were thinking they had earned a nice break. They knew it was time to reflect on their ministry in the quiet presence of God. Jesus’ words would have been music to their ears: “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Can you imagine Jesus saying those words to you? What a gift of time and space and prayer that would be!

But like all best-laid plans, the apostles and Jesus were no sooner in the boat on their way to a deserted place than the crowds caught wind of their route and beat them there.

When I hear this story, I quickly find myself relating with the apostles. In church ministry, as in many other forms of service, plans for a break or a get-away or prayerful retreat are often a moving target. In Mark’s Gospel, the apostles were ready for that time away and were not very happy about Jesus’ pity for the sheep without a shepherd. In the rest of the chapter we will hear them grumble when Jesus directs them to find some food (break over!). Their proverbial tanks seem to be empty—they cannot think creatively or pastorally.

We know what comes next. Jesus will feed the five thousand people with just a handful of fish and bread with baskets of food leftover. One wonders: Did this make the apostles feel small? Did they recall the words of God spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,” a warning never to drive the sheep away. Or did the unexpected actions of Jesus energize them? Did they know they were again witnessing a new model of servant leadership?

The apostles are just one set of characters in this story. The other set is the vast crowd, the sheep without a shepherd. Can you imagine being among that crowd? From all that they had heard, or maybe already witnessed, they were confident that if they made the trek from their hometowns to find Jesus, he would encounter them, heal them, care for them. And so he did because his heart was moved with pity for them. Jesus is the quintessential model of service. He identified very real needs, and he addressed them. This crowd needed to hear him teach; they needed to be with him; and they needed nourishment, both spiritual and physical.

Isn’t there incredible comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is never so tired that he would retreat from us? We too can be lost sheep at times. This is when we need Jesus most and he is there.

What are the ways you seek Jesus? Maybe you find a deserted place to rest for a while in God’s presence—to pray, reflect and ponder. Maybe you get busy with the work of Jesus, serving those with immediate needs, whether that’s right in your own home, your parish, or the community. It’s all good when we act intentionally to serve God and each other. In this way we become both apostle and sheep, all equally loved without condition in the eyes of our loving Father.

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, in this weekend’s second reading: “He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” May we find the Lord’s peace in the gift of time away and in our quiet times of prayer. And may we find peace in all the ways Jesus calls us to serve and attend to the needs of his sheep.

Cathy Kamp
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