“The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all that they had done and taught.” In last week’s gospel account, you will recall that Jesus sent his apostles, giving them authority over unclean spirits so they could preach the good news, cure the sick and drive out demons. This Sunday, we hear what happened when they returned to Jesus. Notice what the apostles did not do. They didn’t recall and rejoice in the great things God had done through them. Rather, they reported all that they had done and taught. It was as if they were the source of their actions and teaching. No wonder Jesus had to take them off by themselves; there was still much that he had to teach them!
Let’s contrast to what happens next. Jesus and his apostles go off in a boat by themselves to where they think they will find a deserted place so they can rest a bit. To their surprise, people had beaten them there and were waiting for them. Rather than avoiding them or chastising them for disturbing his rest, Jesus, his heart moved with pity for them, began to teach them. How blessed they were to be in the presence of one who loved them with the love of a good shepherd for his flock. It’s an example that his apostles – and we – need to follow as we encounter those who hunger and thirst for the truth and for true, selfless love.
Today’s readings present us with the ongoing battle we all have between caring for ourselves – thinking that we are in charge of our lives – and caring for others as we recognize that God is in charge and we trust in God to care for us. In today’s first reading, we hear from the prophet Jeremiah; we are all familiar him. Jeremiah preached in Israel, prophesying under five different kings, each more sinful than his predecessor. Through Jeremiah, God called Israel’s kings to shepherd the flock, but instead, as we hear from Jeremiah in today’s first reading, they did not tend their flock, the people of Israel under their care. Instead, they scattered them and drove them away as the Pharisees took care of themselves.
But, as with every true prophet, Jeremiah also provides hope in times of distress. After foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah is called to prophesy about what will occur when the exile comes to an end. We hear in today’s reading that God has decided to take matters into his own hands: “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock,” we hear God say through Jeremiah. He promises to raise up a shoot from David’s line. We see this prophecy beautifully portrayed in our stained glass window – the third from the front here on your right. Notice the stump of the tree – with Jesse, the father of King David, on the bottom and kings hanging from branches all up the tree until you see St. Joseph and King David flanking Jesus on the top.
Of course, we all know that this prophecy by Jeremiah refers to the birth of Jesus. In the wake of such bad shepherds who scattered the flock, God, our loving Father, planned to send his only Son as the Good Shepherd to gather all the lost sheep together. St. Paul alludes to this in his letter to the Ephesians, which we hear in today’s second reading. Although he does not specifically refer to Jeremiah, Paul and his audience would have been very familiar with Jeremiah’s prophecy. And, he speaks of Jesus, who came to bring peace – between God and us, and among all people, near and far. Through the blood of Christ, St. Paul assures us that we are reconciled with God. Those who were far off – those sheep that have been misled and scattered – are now brought back to the Father.
In the Gospel, we see the prophecy from Jeremiah fulfilled and we encounter the Jesus of whom Paul spoke. Over these past few weeks, we have heard about Jesus teaching and healing the people, shepherding them aright. Last week, we heard Jesus send his disciples off – two by two – to expand his saving work. As we heard last week, they were very successful, driving out demons and curing the sick. We realize that it is through the power of God that they accomplished this. In today’s readings, we are reassured that from the beginning – after Adam and Eve, who represent all of us as they turned away from God – God has prepared for our reconciliation and salvation through his Son. We may have been – and, at times, continue to be – scattered and misled, but now we have the Good Shepherd who seeks us out, calls our name and carries us home, feeds and nourishes us. We gather around our Lord’s Table every week to receive this nourishment through both the Word of God and the Living Bread come down from heaven that we receive in Holy Communion. Then, like the first disciples, we are sent out to bring God’s peace to the world that is lost and scattered in so many ways. But, we must always realize that this is God’s work. We are his people called to trust in him as we care for one another. What a great consolation it is for all of us to know that God’s plan has been fulfilled through his Son. What a great encouragement it is to be assured of his continuing to shepherd us rightly as we live in a world that is so often misled and lost. Let us return to our Lord often – as his first disciples did – to be strengthened in our faith and in our resolve to bring his peace – his true and eternal peace – to our world.