Sunday Readings and Reflections

Jean Baptiste de Champaigne  (1631–1681)

Sunday, July 18 
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Roman Ordinary calendar


St. FrederickBl. Angeline of Marsciano


Book of Jeremiah 23,1-6.

Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds. 
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply. 
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD. 
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. 
In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The LORD our justice.” 

Psalms 23(22),1-3a.3b-4.5.6.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
In verdant pastures he gives me repose; 
beside restful waters he leads me; 
he refreshes my soul.  

He guides me in right paths 
for His names’s sake. 
Even though I walk in the dark valley 
I fear no evil; for you are at my side 
with your rod and your staff 
that give me courage. 

You spread the table before me 
in the sight of my foes; 
You anoint my head with oil; 
my cup overflows. 

Only goodness and kindness follow me 
all the days of my life; 
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD 
for years to come. 

Letter to the Ephesians 2,13-18.

Brothers and sisters: In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. 
For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, 
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, 
and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. 
He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 6,30-34.

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. 
He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. 
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. 
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.


Saint Clement of Alexandria (150- c.215) 
theologian 
Paedagogus, I, 9 ; SC 70

“His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd”

To save is an act of kindness. “The Lord’s mercy reaches all flesh, reproving, admonishing, teaching, as a shepherd guides his flock; merciful to those who accept his guidance,” who hasten to bind themselves to him (Sir 18:11-13) (…)

Those in good health have no need of a physician so long as they are well; the sick, on the other hand, turn to his art. Similarly, in this life we are sick by means of our unacceptable desires, our intemperance (…) and other passions. We need a Savior (…) We who are sick have need of a Savior; straying, we need someone to guide us; blind, of someone who will give us light; thirsty, of the spring of living water where “whoever drinks will never thirst again” (Jn 4:4). Dead, we are in need of life; a flock, of a shepherd; children, of a teacher: and truly, everyone is in need of Jesus (…) 

“The injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal; the strayed I will bring back and cause them to pasture on my holy mountain” (cf. Ez 34:11-16). This is what the good shepherd promises. Pasture us like a flock, young as we are; O Lord, give us plentifully of your pasture which is righteousness! Shepherd us to your holy mountain, your Church that rises up on high above the clouds, touching the heavens. “And I shall be their shepherd and stay at their side” (cf. Ez 34), he says (…) “I have not come to be served but to serve,”. That is why the Gospel shows him to us tired out, he who wore himself out for our sakes and who promises “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Jn 4:6; Mt 20:28).

Traditional Latin Mass Readings for this Sunday

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