5th February 2022. Saturday of Week 4 Ordinary Time

5th February 2022. Saturday of Week 4 Ordinary Time

Memorial: St Agatha – third century, died a martyr in Catania, Sicily. Patron of bell-founders.

1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:4-13

Solomon prayed for an understanding heart to judge God’s people and to distinguish right from wrong.

The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”

And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this, your great people?”

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you.

Psalm 118:9-14, R v12.

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

Jesus gets the apostles to come and rest awhile; then pities the people, as sheep without a shepherd.

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place by yourselves and rest a while.” For so many were coming and going, that they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognised them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

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.

What we expect in our bishops

For almost five decades, bishops have been chosen directly by the Holy See, with little or no input from the clergy or laity of the diocese they are to serve. While this process serves to promote uniformity of doctrine and practice, it seriously lessens the sense of co-responsibility on the part of the local clergy. We might reflect on what Bishops are for, in light of today’s readings, both of which highlight Jesus as the true shepherd of God’s flock. While the shepherding power of Jesus is greater than the role of any church leader, a truly pastoral bishop can enhance our experience of being part of God’s People, the Church. In fact, the bishop’s main task is to build and foster among the people both the reality and the perception of communion and personal involvement.

As Jesus looked around on the crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. His loving response was to animate them by his teaching, and then to feed them through the sharing miracle of the loaves and fishes. Responding with love to the people’s deepest needs is the vocation of all who are privileged to have a share in his ministry. On this point, let us hear a few phrases from a recent article: ” What bishops are for” (http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2013/02/opinion-what-bishops-are-for.html) by Martin Brown OSB. A deep sense of communion  “is what will protect a new bishop from becoming too full of himself and too impressed with his status, title or attire. He is to teach and to lead his people as a loving shepherd; to be both father and brother. And he does this most excellently when he presides at the Eucharist, in the midst of the people of the diocese.”

Brown puts it trenchantly: “a diocese is a local Church and not just an administrative unit. A bishop is a representative of Christ and not just a branch manager. They have lost most of the power they used to have, which is no bad thing, but we need to have a renewed sense of who and what exactly bishops are, if they are to foster communion wisely.” For the health and coherence of our beloved Church, we should today pray that the spirit and example of the Good Shepherd will deeply animate the bishops who are now charged with shepherding his flock according to his Gospel message.

When plans go awry

Often our plans do not work out. In the morning we might plan to get something done that day, but somehow it does not work out. On a grander scale, some plan we might have had for our career or our family does not materialise. There are different possible responses to our plans not working out, short of giving up in despair.

Jesus’ own plans for himself and his disciples did not work out. He intended taking them away to a lonely place for a time of retreat and reflection, because they had been so busy they hardly had time even to eat. However, when they reached that “lonely place”, it had become a crowded place; the crowd had got there ahead of them. Jesus’ response to this unexpected intrusion was not anger or indignation. Instead, “he had compassion on them”  and set himself to teach them. His plans had to be changed. Something else happened that served God’s purpose. Whenever our own plans go awry, sometimes something better can replace them, if we are flexible and open. God’s purpose is always greater than our plans. Whenever we have to let of our plans, the Lord’s life-giving purpose for our lives prevails.