16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
SEE THE HUNGRY CROWD
MK. 6: 30-34
MESSAGE
A parish priest sent a group of seminarians one evening to a remote village chapel in a forested area of Palawan. They were tasked with teaching the villagers about the faith, as a priest rarely visited them. The journey was long, and the seminarians grew restless, bored, and sleepy. They wondered how the people would find them in the middle of the forest and if they would bother to come at such a late hour. But soon, from the darkness, they heard the rustling of leaves, the sound of footsteps, and the cautious murmur of voices. Indeed, people—many of them, young and old, men and women—were coming from all directions of the forest toward the hidden chapel. By candlelight, torches, and flashlights, the seminarians spoke to the crowd about Jesus, and the people absorbed every word until late at night.
As in Jesus’ time, there is a great hunger today for the nourishing Word of God and for the presence of God’s servants who are willing to give of themselves. The Lord Jesus saw that the people were like sheep without a shepherd, and without hesitation, He and His disciples filled their hunger and quenched their thirst for teaching, healing, and salvation.
There remains a significant responsibility among church leaders today to guide people to the Lord. People expect their priests to be present when needed, to inspire rather than merely amuse, to challenge rather than entertain, to serve rather than enjoy a comfortable life in a parish or convent. When people do not find a church willing to satisfy their longing for God, they look elsewhere, and if they find such a community outside the Catholic Church, it is not entirely their fault.
REFLECT
Let us pray for our church leaders this week. May they realize that they have received a noble mission to serve their brothers and sisters. May they never tire of teaching. May they never hide from their flock. May they always provide people with the sacraments, their presence, and their guiding words. May they prioritize service to the poor over personal gain. As we love our priests, let us pray that they may grow in love for their mission too. In the end, we will benefit from our prayers, too.
