God is Always Moved with Compassion in our Situation

07-18-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

In today’s first reading Prophet Jeremiah was very hard on the leaders, who led his people astray, during his prophecy. Thus, these leaders instead of caring and looking after the people, they exploited and scatter them especially with their actions and inactions. They were more about themselves than the flock that has been entrusted to them. This is why the prophet cries “Woe to the shepherd who mislead and scattered the flock of My pasture” says the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord, “the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd My people; you have scattered and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.”

This warning is equally directed to us priests and leaders of the church in a different capacity and every parent and all who have any authority over people. It is a call to examine truly how we priests as leaders have cared for the people of God instead of scattering them by our selfishness. It is also a call for every person with any authority to examine how they have shown compassion instead of pride and neglect to the people under their care. The good news is that God speaking through His prophet gives an assurance that He will send an upright shepherd through the house of David who will be a good shepherd who cares for his flock and that good shepherd is Jesus. Jesus is moved with pity in the gospel reading of today when He saw the people like sheep without a shepherd. This is a demonstration of God’s care for us when we are harassed by sickness, pandemic, political and economic crisis. The assurance of God that He would send an upright shepherd to look after His sheep is called to trust in God that even in the midst of bad leadership, whether in the church or society that He is keeping quiet. He is concerned and at the appointed time He sends some to shepherd His people.

In the Gospel, the disciples give a report of their first missionary assignment. They were excited and reported all that they had done and taught and Jesus calls them to a lonely place to rest for a while. The testimony of the disciples after their first missionary work is evidence of God’s provision for us and activities when we abandon ourselves to Him. The apostles trusted in God’s word and took nothing for the journey as Jesus instructed them and at the end they had all that they needed. When we do the same and believe in His word He provides for us. The call to a lonely place to rest teaches us that in our life struggle and work we need time to rest. We cannot work without rest, and we cannot live our Christian life well unless we give ourselves time with God. Time with God is most essential to be very effective in anything we do. We must give God the opportunity to speak to us if we must make progress in life. According to William Barclays, “How can we bear life’s burden if we have no contact with Him who is the Lord of all good life? How can we do God’s work unless in God’s strength? How can we receive that strength unless we seek in quaintness and loneliness the presence of God?” Finally, we see Jesus,0 compassionate nature as He was immediately moved with pity on seeing the people like sheep without a shepherd because of their desperate need of Him. That is exactly how He is moved with pity in our every individual case let us go to Him with faith in our need for He is always moved with compassion.

Happy Sunday to all of you and remember that Jesus cares for you and is very compassionate.

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