Sheep without a shepherd

Mass Readings and commentary for Tuesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time -  9 July 2013

First Reading: Genesis 32:23-32. 

In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the fjord of the Jabbok. After he had taken them across the stream and had brought over all his possessions, Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.

When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.

The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me."

"What is your name?" the man asked. He answered, "Jacob."

Then the man said, "You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed."

Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please." He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?" With that, he bade him farewell.

Jacob named the place Peniel, "Because I have seen God face to face," he said, "yet my life has been spared."

At sunrise, as he left Penuel, Jacob limped along because of his hip.

 

Psalm 17 

Attend to my outcry;

hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
From you let my judgment come;
Your eyes behold what is right.

Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,

though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
Incline your ear to me; hear my word.

Show your wondrous mercies,

O savior of those who flee from their foes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence. 

 

Gospel Matt 9:32-38. 

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."

But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."
 

 Commentary of the day :

  Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest, founder of a religious community, theologian  Sermon “Invisible Presence of Christ”, Sermons on Subjects of the Day, no.21

 

"At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd"

 

Look around you, my brethren, on every side... Look round, I say, and answer, why it is that there is so much change, so much strife, so many parties and sects, so many creeds? Because men are unsatisfied and restless; and why restless, with everyone his psalm, his doctrine, his tongue, his revelation, his interpretation. They are restless because they have not found... It has not yet brought them into the Presence of Christ, in which "is fullness of joy" and "pleasure for evermore" (Ps 16:11). Had they been fed with the bread of life (John 6:35), and tasted of the honeycomb, their eyes, like Jonathan's (1Sam 14,27), had been enlightened, to acknowledge the Saviour of men; but having no such real apprehension of things unseen, they have still to seek, and are at the mercy of every rumour from without.

Oh sad and pitiable spectacle, when the people of Christ wander on the hills as "sheep which have no shepherd;" and instead of seeking Him in His ancient haunts and His appointed home, busy themselves in human schemes, follow strange guides, are taken captive by new opinions, become the sport of chance, or of the humour of the hour, or the victims of self-will, are full of anxiety, and perplexity, and jealousy, and alarm, "tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" (Eph 4,14) —and all because they do not seek the "one body" and the "one Spirit," and the "one hope of their calling," the "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all," (Eph 4,5-6) and “find rest for their souls” (Mt 11,29)!