The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I have been a priest for ten years. In the priesthood one can easily fall into the trap of being a professional religious person and just focus on building a Church community, maintenance of the buildings, and making sure the bills are paid and there is a good collection. We can focus just on the externals and not on the internal reality of our call by Jesus.
Today’s readings remind me of the dependence the priest must have on Jesus who sends us out with the mission to shepherd and see His people with His eyes. We see in the first reading the prophecy that God “will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them.” But He also says He “himself will gather the remnant of his flock.” God has appointed priests so that He himself will shepherd His people through them. One way that Jesus does this is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation where through the priest He binds up our wounds caused by our own sins. Also in Holy Communion He Himself feeds us with His own body and blood.
The Apostles in the Gospel come back to Jesus reporting all they said and did. These are His future shepherds who just had their first experience in shepherding. Jesus is forming them. He teaches them that they need rest. They need a time of quiet. So they get in a boat together. They at least get this moment of silence and peace with the Lord.
Between masses I am constantly going to the boat, to the chapel to spend some time with Jesus. It is good that we steal away to Jesus in the midst of our work, our shepherding our own children, employees, whatever work we are doing. We need to spend that time with Him, maybe even first thing in the morning and then before going to bed and we can tell Him all we did like the Apostles thinking over our day with Him.
Jesus and the Apostles after going away in the boat were hoping to find rest but instead the huge crowd is waiting for them since they ran ahead. Jesus’ heart is moved with pity for them because they are like sheep without a shepherd.
Though we need to find rest with Jesus, there are times when it is not possible or it has to be postponed. Jesus teaches us to see the need of the present moment and love. When we are used to depending on Jesus and resting in Him, He will give us the love to care for the people entrusted to us with His heart.
Jesus give me the humility to depend on your for strength and to find rest in You. Help me to love those you have put into my life with the love of your Heart.
Fr. Victor Perez is a priest of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston from Katy, TX. He attended the University of Texas at Austin studying business. His third year of college he studied abroad in Spain and while visiting the shrine at Fatima, Portugal he had a profound experience of the sacrament of Confession that changed his life. After getting involved in the Catholic Center at UT Awakening retreats during his final year in Austin, he discovered a deep desire to serve God as a priest. Fr. Victor was ordained a priest in 2011 by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. He has served at St. Cecilia and St. Jerome both in Houston, and as pastor at Most Holy Trinity in Angleton. He is currently pastor of St. Joseph and St. Stephen Catholic Churches, both in the heart of Houston. Come say hi sometime!