The Compassionate Shepherd

07-18-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

The Gospel shows us the compassionate heart of Jesus as a Shepherd. Jesus sees the vast crowds of people waiting for Him on the other side of the lake. His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Seeing through their heart and recognizing the condition of His disciples and the people waiting for them, He pitied them. The disciples are tired and have little time to rest and even eat as people flock to wherever they go. While working for the vineyard of the Lord, we also need to take care of ourselves. That is the message Jesus wanted to convey to His disciples. They need time to rest, recharge, and reconnect with the Father in prayer (in a deserted place).

Jesus is the compassionate Shepherd of the sheep. The Jews know from experience how much God cares for the welfare of His sheep like a Good Shepherd. This knowledge that God cares is demonstrated best in the inspired text in Psalm 23. The Psalmist speaks with confidence that God will not deprive His sheep of what they need. I shall not be in want — the sheep will not lack anything they truly need because the Lord provides. Pondering this line of the Psalms, we should recognize more deeply how much God, the Good Shepherd loves His sheep. Living under His protection, He guides us, He removes our fears, and gives us courage. That even in the darkest valley, the valley of the shadow of death, we can still livein peace because the Lord is our Good Shepherd.

Jesus is a compassionate shepherd toward the people who followed Him, the poor and the sick and moved with pity for them knowing how they have to walk a long distance. The heat, the hunger, and the thirst they endured so they can listen to His teaching. The scene sets the stage for the miracle of the multiplication of bread that will happen soon. Today, many people exposed to the heat of the secular pressure are in search of Jesus. People who hunger and thirst for the Word of God, having no one to turn to, except to our Lord Jesus. How do we feel for those people who approach us for help, healing, reconciliation, and for hope? How do we nurture a compassionate heart like Jesus?

The Church is the flock of which God Himself foretold and that He would be the Shepherd, whose sheep, even though governed by human shepherds, are unfailingly nourish and led by Christ Himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of Shepherds, who gave His life for His sheep. (CCC 754)

The compassion of Jesus reminds us that people will remember us not so much for our intelligence as much as for the moments we showed kindness and goodness to them. People will remember us more because we expressed our love for them. The most important thing, in the end, is we did our best, showed compassion, and cared. Jesus teaches us that no matter how busy we are in the ministry, we need to have a quiet time for ourselves to pray, and to be in communion with God.

Jesus teaches us to reach out to those in need of His presence and love. Let us not forget to make time for ourselves, for a moment with God, and for moments of compassion and love.