Proper 11
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
Julian Whitney
The last time I gave a reflection on the Gospel, it was John 10:11-18, “I am the good shepherd.” I talked about how sheep are a very common metaphor in The Bible. Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times, more than any other animal. They were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similar peoples. I also talked about the common image of sheep as a rather unintelligent animal, in need of a leader. Sheep need a shepherd (and a sheep-dog😉) Being British, I couldn’t resist the urge to compare them with the very intelligent and highly amusing Shaun the Sheep🐑
In today’s Gospel too; Jesus “saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd…”
But before that, “The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.” Our Lord said, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” Their work had taken them far and wide and their fame had preceded them, large crowds had flocked to see the Messiah “they had no leisure even to eat.”
We know that later Jesus was disappointed with his disciples as they slept after the Last Supper, during his last night on God’s earth “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Not on that day, however. Jesus, too, wanted to take a break.
He had been rejected by his hometown of Nazareth. The people had taken offence at him, “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:2&3) Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, had been beheaded by King Herod. His disciples had travelled, in pairs, far and wide healing the sick and preaching Jesus’ Gospel and, were they not welcome, “leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11) All of them were weary, in need of respite.
We all need to find a quiet place to rest, meditate and pray. Mark (1:35-39) tells us that, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Luke (6:12) adds: “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” and “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)
One of the many joys of owning a dog is walking. Oli🐾 has made many friends for us. People often stop and ask what breed she is and how old she is. We then go on to chat about the weather, and whether the rubbish has been collected yet; simple chit-chat that makes us feel part of the community.
On these sweltering summer days, however, we walk at five in the morning and eleven at night (the only time the asphalt is below 25°.) It is a more solitary experience; one man & his dog…and the dawn chorus (birds singing🕊) We enjoy that quiet, peaceful time. It energises us for the coming day or gives us time to reflect on the day that has passed.
Not so Jesus and his Disciples❗️The flock had gambolled along the lake-shore and beat them to the other side. What are the odds? Five loaves and two fishes against 5, 000 people – there is no rest for the bless-ed🤣
Todays reading skips the narrative of the Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mark 6:35-52) We started at verse thirty and continued to verse thirty-four. Then we jumped to verse fifty-three and finished at verse fifty-six.
Perhaps it is sufficient to say that Jesus and his disciple had performed and continued to perform many miracles. From verses fifty-four to fifty-six Mark has stopped counting the number of people in attendance, and concludes, “all who touched [his cloak] were healed.” We are reminded of Matthew 9:20-22 when Jesus told a woman who had suffered from 12 years of haemorrhaging (bleeding) “your faith has healed you.” It is very likely that she also suffered from social ostracisation, many people would have thought of her as ‘unclean’. Sadly, some illnesses carry stigma – a mark of disgrace. It is sadly ironic that many christians judge harshly those who are sick. Illness is viewed by some as ‘divine retribution’ for previous sin, or even ‘the sins of the fathers’ – ancestral sin. ‘Stigmata’ (primarily in the Catholic faith) are marks left on the bodies of humans corresponding to those left on Christ’s body caused by crucifixion. Our Lord died for us to save us from our sins, the stigma or stigmata are signs of the undying love that the Good Shepherd has for his flock.
I sincerely 🙏pray🙏 for all those suffering ❤️🩹 and for their families and friends. May their faith bring them closer to Christ, and in so doing bring them ❤️🩹healing❤️🩹 in Heart, Body, and Mind.
But I think we should be wary of wishing for miracles. The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy, a British comedy, talks of The Babel Fish. It is a fish that, when you put it in your ear, allows you to understand any language in the universe- the 20th century version of Google❗️
God says, “Without faith, I am nothing.” But human retorts, “But the Babel Fish is a dead give-away!” (Its existence proves your existence. It could not have evolved by chance.) “Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that!” Says God, and disappears in a puff of philosophical smoke.
Sheep are easily led and equally so, easily led astray. Miracles are wonderful, but if we have to prove the existence of God then aren’t we (philosophically) destroying him? Surely, without faith, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are nothing.
Mark stopped counting the number of followers, and like Mark, let’s stop counting sheep, lest we fall asleep.
Thanks be to God.
