First Reading
Jeremiah 23:1-6
The Lord promises to shepherd his people Israel.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1-3,3-4,5,6
The Lord is our shepherd.

Second Reading
Ephesians 2:13-18
Christ has reconciled us with God and united us in peace.

Gospel Reading
Mark 6:30-34
Jesus invites his disciples to rest after their ministry, and Jesus is moved with pity for the crowds who pursue them.

Background on the Gospel Reading

In this today’s Gospel, we read the report of the return of the Twelve, who were sent by Jesus to preach repentance, heal the sick, and drive out demons. When the Twelve return to Jesus, he invites them to come away from the crowds and rest. But the crowds will not give them peace. As the Twelve have shared in Jesus’ ministry, they now appear to share in his popularity. The crowds continue to approach them, and Mark reports that the disciples don’t even have time to eat. In an effort to get away, Jesus and his disciples board a boat in hopes of finding a deserted place. But the crowds notice this and arrive ahead of them. The crowds are so persistent that Jesus and his disciples cannot find a place to be alone. Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus is moved with pity and begins to teach the crowds.

Our Gospel for today stops here, but Mark’s report of the unyielding demands of the crowd continues in the verses that follow. If we were to continue reading from Mark’s Gospel, we would hear Jesus instruct his disciples to feed the crowd in the familiar miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The work of Jesus and his disciples appears to be a round-the-clock job. In the next few weeks, we will hear the story of Jesus’ feeding of the multitude, but our Lectionary will turn to the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John to report and reflect on this story.

In today’s Gospel, we hear the Twelve referred to as “apostles.” The word apostle is a Greek word meaning “one who is sent.” Jesus chose twelve men from among his disciples whom he sent to share in his ministry of preaching and healing. The first report of this is found in the third chapter of Mark’s Gospel, where the Twelve are also called apostles and the names of this select group are listed.

We who are Jesus’ disciples today have also been sent to share the Gospel with others. Perhaps our commitment to following Jesus as his disciple leaves us feeling tired and overwhelmed. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus affirm the importance of times of rest and renewal. Jesus wanted his disciples to come away and spend time alone with him. This is what we seek and find in our life of prayer and in our celebration of the Eucharist.

First Reading
Amos 7:12-15
The prophet Amos is sent from Bethel.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85:9-10,11-12,13-14
A prayer for the Lord’s salvation

Second Reading
Ephesians 1:3-14 ( shorter form Ephesians 1:3-10)
Paul teaches that we were chosen for Christ before the creation of the world.

Gospel Reading
Mark 6:7-13
Jesus instructs his disciples and sends them to preach repentance.

Background on the Gospel Reading

This week’s Gospel and the one for next week describe how Jesus sent the disciples to minister in his name and the disciples’ return to Jesus afterward. These two passages, however, are not presented together in Mark’s Gospel. Inserted between the two is the report of Herod’s fears that Jesus is John the Baptist back from the dead. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ ministry is presented in connection with the teaching of John the Baptist. Jesus’ public ministry begins after John is arrested. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, who preached the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.

While we do not read these details about John the Baptist in our Gospel this week or next week, our Lectionary sequence stays consistent with Mark’s theme. Recall that last week we heard how Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. The insertion of the reminder about John the Baptist’s ministry and his death at the hands of Herod in Mark’s Gospel makes a similar point. Mark reminds his readers about this dangerous context for Jesus’ ministry and that of his disciples. Preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God is dangerous business for Jesus and for his disciples. Mark wants his readers to remember that we, too, may find resistance as we choose to be disciples of Jesus.

Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus sent out the Twelve. These twelve were selected from among Jesus’ disciples and named by Mark in chapter 3. Mark notes that these twelve are also called “apostles.” The word apostle means “one who is sent.” The number twelve is also a symbolic number, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. By naming twelve apostles, Jesus shows his mission to be in continuity with the mission of God’s people, Israel.

Jesus’ instructions to the apostles are very specific. He repeats the mission that they are sent to preach and to share his authority to heal and to drive out demons. Jesus sends them in pairs, establishing his mission as a communal endeavor. Jesus also instructs them to travel lightly, without the customary food, money, and extra set of clothes. These instructions mean that the Twelve will be dependent on the hospitality of others, just as Jesus depended on others to provide for his needs.

Jesus continues to send us into the world as his disciples. But like the first disciples, we are not sent alone. Jesus has given us the community of the Church, which strengthens our life of discipleship. The Christian message can only authentically be proclaimed in and through the community of faith that is the Church. In our work with others, we build this community of faith and can invite others to share in it.

Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat (Mk 5:41-42).

Today is the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria which is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

 

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 and references a truth which is clearly stated for the first time in the whole Old Testament — man's real destiny is an unending life with God.

The second reading is from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15. St. Paul urges the Corinthians to give generously toward the collection he is organizing for the poor Jewish converts in Palestine.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 5:21-43 or 5:21-24, 35-43. Today's gospel gives us two further proofs of the divine power and the infinite mercy of our Savior. Apart from the primary purpose of proving his claim to be the promised Messiah, all his miracles had as their aim and end — the benefit of suffering human beings. He worked no miracle for the sake of astonishing people or to satisfy idle gossip. Each one was performed in order to help someone in distress. All who were helped by his miracles of mercy had one thing in common — they were motivated by trust in his mercy and power. The leper in Matthew (8:2) expressed the sentiments of them all: "Lord, if only you will you can cleanse me (of my leprosy)." In many cases, as for instance that of Jarius above, it was a relative or friends who showed this faith and confidence. It was always present either in the fortunate person or in the relative or friend who asked for the miracle.

The Gospels give us only some of the many miracles our Lord worked. They give them to prove that he was what he claimed to be — the Son of God and the long-expected Savior; and also to prove his compassionate understanding and sympathy for suffering humanity.

We must not forget, however, that the meaning of his miracles and his mission was lost on thousands of his contemporaries in Palestine, small though the country was. While great throngs followed our Lord and listened to his message and were interested in his mission, still great throngs remained at home, stolidly immersed in their worldly tasks and thoughts. They heard rumors about the man from Nazareth who was said to be the Messiah, and was supposed to be able to work miracles, but they were too practical, too sensible to listen to such rumors. Anyway they had no interest in the Messiah, or in silly spiritual things, they were fully occupied with their financial and worldly interests.

Has the world changed much in nineteen centuries? How many millions of nominal Christians ignore Christ and his Gospel today, millions who are too practical, too down-to-earth to waste time on such a silly thing as their eternal salvation! How many millions are spiritually sick and dying but who have not the faith, humility and confidence of Jairus, to cast themselves at the feet of Jesus and ask him to cure them? How fortunate would not people be if they would repeat the leper's prayer: "Lord, if only you will you can make me clean"; if they could, like the suffering woman in today's Gospel, break through the throng of worldly pride, worldly interests and worldly associates and touch the hem of his garment; if they had the faith of Jairus; if only they could say to our Lord "come and lay your hands upon me so that I may be made well and live."?

Today, let us say a fervent prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gift of active faith which he has given us and beg of him to keep that faith ever alive in our breasts. Let us think, too, of our fellowmen, our brothers in Christ, who are so busy with their worldly occupations and pleasures that they cannot find time to listen to his message. They are spiritually anemic and almost spiritually dead, but cannot push their way toward Christ through the throngs of earthly, worldly barricades which they have built about themselves. Our sincere prayers can help them to overcome these obstacles; frequently and fervently let us ask God to send them his efficacious grace so that these brothers in Christ will also be with him in heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Sunday, June 13, 2021

The readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year B (see below) are filled with images of growth. The first reading tells of planting a shoot on a mountain, which then becomes a shelter for the birds. And in the gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the seed that grows and the parable of the mustard seed.

Spiritual growth and growth of the Kingdom of God are themes for these readings. Here are some suggested resources for this Sunday:

Daily Mass Readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B

• First Reading – Ezekiel 17:22-24: “And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.”
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 92: “Lord, it i s good to give thanks to you.”
• Second Reading – 2 Corinthians 5:6-10: “We are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
• Gospel – Mark 4:26-34: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.”

The fundamental dogma, on which everything in Christianity is based, is that of the Blessed Trinity in whose name all Christians are baptized. The feast of the Blessed Trinity needs to be understood and celebrated as a prolongation of the mysteries of Christ and as the solemn expression of our faith in this triune life of the Divine Persons, to which we have been given access by Baptism and by the Redemption won for us by Christ. Only in heaven shall we properly understand what it means, in union with Christ, to share as sons in the very life of God.

The feast of the Blessed Trinity was introduced in the ninth century and was only inserted in the general calendar of the Church in the fourteenth century by Pope John XXII. But the cultus of the Trinity is, of course, to be found throughout the liturgy. Constantly the Church causes us to praise and adore the thrice-holy God who has so shown His mercy towards us and has given us to share in His life.

The feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

 When the Holy Spirit was poured forth at Pentecost,
Christ’s Paschal Mystery was brought to completion, and
the Church was fully equipped to carry on his redemptive
work in the world. At Pentecost, it is revealed that we
remain always intimately united to our heavenly Father,
who will shepherd his people home to the glory of heaven.
“On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that
day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to
those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and
in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy
Trinity. By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit
causes the world to enter into the ‘last days,’ the time of
the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet
consummated” (CCC 732). l

In the United States, the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, and Philadelphia have retained the celebration of the Ascension on the proper Thursday while all other provinces have transferred this solemnity to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 8. If transferred today is observed as an Easter Weekday. The following readings are used: Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title following apparitions to three shepherd children — Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco — in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through praying the Rosary. This optional memorial is new to the USA liturgical calendar and is inscribed on May 13.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Robert Bellarmine. He was famous throughout Europe as a theologian, and as a strenuous defender of the Faith in controversy with Protestants. He joined the Society of Jesus, and was later made Cardinal and Archbishop of Capua. His numerous writings include works of devotion and instruction, as well as of controversy. He died in 1621, and was canonized and declared Doctor of the Church in 1931. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on September 17.

Today is also the feast of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament. This title was given to our Blessed Mother in May 1868 by Saint Peter Julian Eymard to honor her relationship to the Holy Eucharist and to place her before us as a model in our duties and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.