Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 21, 2024

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND WELL WISHES!

From the time of creation, it was God’s plan that all the people he created would be invited to live in his presence for all eternity. Life was a struggle to survive and people knew very little about God and his plans. Through the centuries he selected certain people to be leaders – Abraham, after him the patriarchs, Moses a great law maker, judges, kings, and prophets. Prophets were people who taught the laws and guided the people, very often they were not accepted, and some failed to do their prophetic work. In the first reading today we learn (Jer. 23: 1-6) that God condemned prophets, teachers and shepherds who failed to do their work. They failed to effectively teach and lead his people, and especially, they failed to gather them and form them as a community of God’s own people.

The scripture readings for us on the sixteenth Sunday in ordinary time, July 21, 2024 put before us stories of the many times and situations that God intervened in the life of his people. These included times when they lived up to the vision God had for them and followed his commands, and the times they failed, followed their own choices, and did not live as his people. This failure was important in that their gathering was a means of teaching his people and a means of forming a community where they had a strong sense of belonging to the family of God. Experience shows us that normal family life is intended to be a place where the members bond together and have a sense of belonging. An athletic team or a political party are successful to the extent that the members bond together. It is not surprising that a major aspect of the life and work of Jesus was the creation of small faith communities. God’s condemnation of prophets in the time of Jeremiah included the promise that he would call back those who had scattered and ‘form leaders to teach and lead them.’

The gospel reading (Mark 6:30 – 34) teaches us that from the beginning of his public ministry Jesus selected and trained his core group as his apostles and disciples. They were to teach, heal, and form a community (the Church) for God’s own people. In today’s gospel story we read of Jesus sending out his disciples in pairs when trained, and on their return to him they told of their successes. He wanted his disciples to take time to rest and pray, but the spiritual needs of the people required them and him, to continue their teaching and healing.

The manner of teaching the people and gathering them continued after the resurrection as attested by the New Testament authors. Consider the approach of the Old Testament and of the New Testament. We find a glimpse of this in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (2: 13-18). The Old Testament was guided by the Law of Moses, and under these laws, only those who accepted God’s covenants, those who adhered to the law and who were circumcised were seen as God’s people. Those who did not meet these conditions were known as ‘Gentiles,’ and these were without Israel’s messianic expectations, without the various covenants made with Israel and without the hope of salvation and the knowledge of the true God. Paul contrasts the old law with the law of Christ, often referred to as the ‘Good news of salvation.’

Paul reminds the non-Jews that the path to salvation is opened by the teaching of Jesus Christ. The barriers preventing the Gentiles are broken down and the good news applies to them. . The gentiles are now within the pale of God’s revelation, and so they are no longer strangers; they are now members of Gods family; they form a building that rises from the apostles and prophets and teaching of Jesus; and are now a holy nation.

We become members of this holy people through baptism. We become members of the Church. The vision of God even before creation was that all people are called to be members of God’s people. That vision has been mediated to us down through the ages and through the Church founded by Christ. Each of us have our own stories of our paths to God. We remember and are grateful for the individuals and church people who have helped us discover our paths to God. May you be abundantly blessed in your spiritual journey.

[Presented by Father David O’Connor, Email: doconnor.natchez@gmail.com My thanks for your prayers and well wishes]

Father David O'Connor 10 Morgantown Road Natchez, MS 39120-2788