Homily 16th Sunday Year B

When I am worried and cannot sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.  And I fall asleep counting my blessings. 

These beautiful song lyrics were written by Irving Berlin for the 1954 classic, White Christmas, and were sung so beautifully by Bing Crosby.  A simple beautiful song reminding us of our many blessings!

For ages now we have heard that if you can’t sleep just start counting sheep.  Perhaps this is because we are just like sheep.  Left alone, we tend to wander and lack direction and purpose.  We all need a shepherd.

As people of faith, we have a shepherd, the Good Shepherd who is Jesus the Christ.

In this week’s Gospel we hear St. Mark refer to the crowds as sheep in need of a shepherd.  As we look back, we recall last week that Jesus had sent out the Apostles two by two to teach, drive out demons and cure the sick.  This week they return, anxious to let Jesus know about their experiences.  We really don’t know what was said between Jesus and the Apostles but we do know that Jesus tells them that they need time to rest and to do so in a deserted place.  So off they go in a boat to a deserted place but did they find rest?  No.  The crowds heard about where Jesus and the Apostles were going and they hastened on foot to beat the boat.  Take note here: the people just didn’t go ahead of the boat; they hastened.  These people could not wait to get there!  When Jesus and the Apostles arrived for their “rest” they saw the vast crowd.  Jesus did not react with anger.  Jesus did not react with disappointment.  Jesus saw them and immediately had pity; he had compassion.  He knew they were sheep without a shepherd.  He knew they were lost, without focus, hungry for spiritual food.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He began to teach them many things.  Imagine, if we can, to be present when Jesus Himself, taught His sheep.  Well actually, we can imagine that.  Every time we come to Mass and hear the words proclaimed from the Gospel, we too are hearing from the Good Shepherd.  His words are teaching and encouraging all of us. 

Jesus not only takes care of the pastoral and spiritual needs of His flock, but in the Gospel passages immediately after what we heard today, Jesus miraculously feeds the crowd.  There is nothing Jesus will not do to take care of his flock.

On this Sunday we sang and responded to the 23^rd Psalm.  The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.  Written hundreds of years earlier by King David, the 23^rd Psalm can be our guide in living out the Sacramental life of the Church.  As we all should know, the seven Sacraments are classified into the Sacraments of Initiation, Healing and Service.  The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.  We find all three in this 23^rd Psalm.  The “restful waters” speak of the waters of Baptism.  The “table before me” points to the Eucharistic table, where we are all invited to receive Jesus in Holy Communion, the “overflowing cup” is the chalice which contains the precious Blood of Jesus, the blood that washes us clean.  The “anointing of my head with oil” speaks of Confirmation, where we are sealed with the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit.  As we reflect on “walking through the dark valley” we are reminded that this life will see death but the “goodness and kindness that follow me” as “I dwell in the house of the Lord forever” is our promise of eternal life.

Can there be a better psalm to pray in today’s Mass than the 23^rd Psalm.  Can we, in the week ahead, make it our charge to pray the 23^rd Psalm everyday?  And as we pray this Psalm this week, can we reflect on the meaning of these Sacraments in our life.  Do we live out our Baptismal promises?  Do I actively seek out, in a state of grace, Jesus in Holy Communion?  If I need sacramental confession to receive Him worthily or to return to His Eucharistic table, will I go to confession this week?  And do I allow the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me in my everyday experiences?  This should be our commitment in the week ahead.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd.  With Him there is nothing I shall want.  We should be encouraged as we realize that Jesus is moved with compassion for us and He teaches us and feeds us!

We just need to be good sheep.  We just need to follow His teachings and, like good sheep, listen to His voice.

And when we are worried and cannot sleep, let’s count our blessings instead of sheep.