July 09, 2013
Tuesday
14th Week
in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Gen 32:23–33
Gospel: Mt 9:32–38
Some people brought to Jesus a man who was dumb because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak. The crowds were astonished and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” (But the Pharisees said, “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.”)
Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Jesus’ enemies tried to dissuade people from coming to him for healing by spreading rumors that his healing powers came from the devil. This notwithstanding, people continued to flock to him and Jesus had compassion for them. Compassion was a common trait of ordinary shepherds in Jesus’ time. They developed this through time because they normally stayed longer with their sheep than their other European counterparts. Unlike in certain countries of Europe where sheep were raised principally for their meat, sheep in Israel were raised for wool and milk and so lived longer and stayed longer with their shepherd. Through time shepherds in Israel developed compassion for their sheep. Jesus perfected this trait of compassion by refusing to abandon them no matter the cost. This explains why he earned the title of Good Shepherd.
Another trait among shepherds in Jesus’ time was knowledge of their sheep. This appeared to be reciprocal because sheep behaved like they knew their shepherd. Thus even if different flocks would come closer in the field sheep would not get mixed up. They knew exactly the voice of their own shepherd and him alone they would follow. This kind of relationship was perfected by Jesus in his relationship with his people. “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” Jesus said (John 10:14). In biblical parlance, to know a person is to love him. Jesus loved his people at the expense of his life.
Compassion and love are only two of the many good traits of shepherds in Jesus’ time. As the Good shepherd par excellence Jesus had every desirable trait that comes with the term “Good Shepherd”. Today Jesus continues to shepherd us through the Church. Do we recognize his voice? Those who do, they follow the teachings of the Church.—Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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