Download Using the Sunday Readings to reflect on our Journey in Faith

Using the Sunday Readings to reflect on our
Journey in Faith
The 16th to the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B
The coming five weeks are based in Ordinary time but in reality the times
are not ordinary but extraordinary as they can inspire us to reflect
deeply on our vocation in the church. There are references in this period
to Shepherds; have you ever considered your role as that of a shepherd
and all that this implies? During the Mystagogia period we examine the
life of the church and if we are looking at Lay Ministry and the work of
the Laity in the church then the coming weeks speak to us clearly of that
mission and how our new members of the church can aspire to the
vocation of these Workers for Christ.
Running through this period are extracts from Saint Paul’s letter to the
Ephesians. The people of Ephesus were very close to Paul and this very
physical bond is clear in this letter. I am going to study the readings
through the Psalms for the various Sundays; the psalms can be a great
source of prayer but sadly they sometimes pass us by; perhaps this
approach will help us to become more familiar with this ancient form of
prayer.
The Psalm for the 16th Sunday is very familiar; Psalm 22; The Lord is my
Shepherd has always been a source of hope and consolation. It speaks
clearly of the Christian vocation and the paths that we need to take to be
close to Our Loving Father. We are reminded that if the Lord is our
Shepherd, then we want for nothing. We are led on the right path, we
remain true to His name and in return He gives us comfort and, at the
last, a dwelling place forever. In the readings Jeremiah is once again in
trouble, speaking out about the sins of the leaders of Israel. He reminds
us that a remnant of the true people of Israel remains and that this
remnant will be gathered back into the flock and given new shepherds who
will care for them. Paul speaks of bringing two into one through the
suffering of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and this new flock, though
the one Spirit, will make a way to come to the Father. The Gospel
passage urges us to rest for a while and find a lonely place, where we can
be refreshed, for shepherds need to rest and be at peace before they
come again to the flock.
The 17th Sunday, through Psalm 144, is a prayer of thanksgiving to God
for the goodness of His creation. It speaks of freedom from want, of
friendship, glory and justice; of a God who opens wide His hands to grant
the desires of all who live. There is a real sense of the generosity of
God; in the passage from Kings we hear of the feeding of the hungry from
the fruits of the wheat and how all will be satisfied. This idea of
friendship, of brotherhood, is echoed in the words of Paul. He calls on
the flock to live lives worthy of their vocation; to be unified in one body,
one spirit for that is how we are called to be. The Gospel account of the
feeding of the Five thousand is a familiar one; as a minister of the
Eucharist we are called so that the people of God will have someone who
can minister to every member of the flock so that no one goes hungry and
all are fed with the Body of Christ.
Psalm 77 is a prayer that reflects on the first reading of the 18th
Sunday; it is a psalm which reminds us of the sense of tradition which
flows through the generations of the church. It speaks of “The things we
have heard and understood, the things our fathers have told us, we will
tell to the next generation” The theme of the psalm is a direct reference
to the reading from the book of Exodus, our first reading, and its story
of food from heaven. The Gospel today is from John and over the coming
weeks we will listen to the discourse from John on the theme “I am the
Bread of Life”. Just as the Israelites were fed by the bread that came
down from Heaven so to are we fed by the living bread which is Christ. If
you are explaining this discourse to your RCIA group it is important that
the theme is clear in your own mind; as the scripture explains this
teaching was very difficult for the people to understand and caused many
to turn away. Seek guidance and pray that you will be able to guide your
flock safely through this period.
The 19th and 20th Sundays share a common Psalm, 33, but the verses
used are different and give us a real insight into how we should pray. I
have just returned from pilgrimage to Walsingham and the first and
second readings remind me of the way we should approach pilgrimages and
how important such periods are to our life in Christ. The psalm speaks of
praying to God at all times and calling on Him for His help. Going on
pilgrimage usually means that we have to sacrifice self for the good of
those around us. The food that Elijah receives is similar to the support
we receive on pilgrimage from those around us. The RCIA can be like a
pilgrimage for we walk with others and help them on their own journey to
God. Paul’s words are also a reminder of pilgrimage “Never have grudges…
or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anyone or call each other
names” all good advice to the pilgrim. The fruits of pilgrimage show
through the friendships made, the forgiveness received, and the prayers
shared – all these are also the fruits of the RCIA journey. The Gospel
gives us further teaching on the Bread of Life and reminds us the “anyone
who eats this bread will live forever”
There are various images of the Mass running through the readings of the
20th Sunday. The psalm speaks blessing the Lord at all times and praising
His name. It reminds us that, through the reverence we show to God our
lives are enriched and we prosper. It urges us to turn aside from evil and
do good, strive and seek after peace. The reading from proverbs urges
us to eat the bread and drink the wine prepared for you and walk in the
ways of perception. Saint Paul reminds the Ephesians that they need to
be careful of the life they lead. He urges them to sing the psalms and
hymns when they are together. So in the space of three readings we
have the opening prayers, the penitential rite, the sermon and the hymns
of praise; rich food indeed. The Gospel continues the discourse on the
Bread of Life; we cannot have life unless we live in Jesus Christ; he is the
living bread, the real food and drink, and we draw life from him.