GOSPEL, Mark (6: 30-34)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
Feeding the Five Thousand
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
How much humanity we find in this little text!
We feel the enthusiasm of the Apostles, eager to narrate the result of their first mission: “The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught” (Mark 6:30)
We capture the paternalism of Jesus in the affectionate listening to the apostolic success and then His invitation for them to rest: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” (Mark 6:31)
However, the crowd does not leave him alone. He sees and feels complete compassion for all the people gathered “like sheep without a shepherd”, (v. 34). With the authority from Above, he stands among them to “teach”, to restore hope and serenity.
Jesus, Shepherd par excellence, leads us to the Father’s House, takes pity on us in times of misfortune, quenches our thirst for peace, justice, and nourishment for soul and body. With HIM, we have everything: Security, Peace and Joy…
As He did with His disciples, Jesus the Good Shepherd calls each one of us by name, draws us into a deserted place to prepare us to be shepherds of the bewildered, discouraged, and hopeless, in this, an aggressive world.
Let us beg for his help, and let us pledge to share spiritual food with all friends and acquaintances. Let us participate in the Eucharist to be part of its “flock”. By taking his body, let us produce fruits of eternal life, loving our brothers, “18 little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” (1 John 3:18)
PRAYER
Again, Father, grant your Church to savour the presence of your Son in the Word and in the Bread of Life, so that we may recognize in Him, the true prophet and shepherd, who guides us to the source of eternal joy. Amen.