“JESUS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD DO.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters.

As we reflect on the Gospel of what is termed The Miracle of the Loaves, let us look again at that Gospel. Jesus sees a crowed who are hungry for his words and for food. He takes the time to address the challenge and asks disciple Philip where they could find food to feed the multitude. John tells us that “he (Jesus) knew exactly what he would do.” This information of John I find interesting. Why? It tells of an attitude of Jesus which if we cultivate will empower us to deal with daunting challenges. I refer to the text. “Jesus knew exactly what he would do.”

Very few will doubt that our society, indeed the world at large is in crisis. The crowds are starving for peace, for joy, for truth. As followers of Jesus we note the hunger and through our communion (and meetings and seminars etc.) we keep asking each other “were can we provide what is necessary to appease the inner hunger of the multitude? The question is often almost one of despair, because we genuinely give off the feeling that we don’t know exactly what we would do. Today’s miracle tells us that if we don’t know what we will do, nothing will happen. We will just feel sorry, ask the question over and over again to no avail.

Today’s Gospel tells us exactly what we could do, and challenges us to do it. It tells us in and through prayer we could tell Jesus what we have, get our people, (beginning with our families) to sit down and give Jesus the little and the inadequate that we have so that he could give them what they hunger for. He is the one who, knowing exactly what he will do, can then satisfy the ferocious hunger of the many.

Now you know exactly what we should do, please let’s do it.

May God bless you.
Fr. Clement Paul.
Parish Priest.

“…he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

That sheep need shepherds no one will doubt. Why? Because sheep tend to go astray as they seek food. In addition, sheep aren’t sensitive enough to danger and so may find themselves easy prey to wild animals. It is in that light that Jesus calls himself the Good shepherd in another Gospel, and in that light that today’s Gospel says of Jesus that when he looked at his people, “…he felt sorry for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd…”

That we are plagued by all sort of wild animals no one will doubt either. We are troubled by the present violence which keeps rearing its head from time to time, then there are the economic challenges that continue to trouble us together with the general vulgarity and confusion in family life among other problems. These challenges can cause us to feel a sense of hopelessness so much so that we appear as “sheep without a shepherd.”

Today’s first reading from Jeremiah and Gospel of Mark tell us clearly that “…I(God) shall raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them.” Jeremiah 23:5 and “…as Jesus stepped ashore he took pity on them (the people), because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach…” Mark 6:34.

As Christians, therefore, we have the responsibility to remind people that our Nation does have a shepherd. That shepherd calls himself the Good Shepherd. The Good shepherd has empowered his church to be a sign of that he the Good shepherd is among us. Please let’s be the ones to live that message.

Fr. Clement Paul
Parish Priest

SUMMONS AND SENDS WITH AUTHORITY.

“Jesus summoned The Twelve, sending them out with authority over unclean spirits.”
We are the disciples that Jesus summons today. By virtue of our Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion, Jesus calls us and sends us to proclaim and live the Joy of the Gospel. Baptism makes us disciples and disciples of Jesus are those who have been called by Jesus to bring the message of God’s love to others.

As we respond to the summons, let us remember that we are being sent to a people who, with us, struggle with the ever present “unclean spirits.” These unclean spirits are not simply ghosts or duppies or what have you. They are the evil spirit of envy, greed, selfishness, vulgarity, pride, anger. These unclean/evil spirits are relentless and can at times make us feel that they have power over us. Notice though, that Jesus gave and gives his disciples authority over the unclean spirits.

Are you a disciple? Then remember, though your Baptism, Jesus summoned you and sent you with authority over the unclean spirits you encounter. You therefore have no more evil to fear whenever you experience evil spirits. You have authority over all evil. If “unclean spirits continue to plague us individually and by extension our family and the society at large, it’s because we are not using properly the authority that Jesus in his mercy entrusted to us. Yes you have the power, you have the authority use it.

Fr. Clement Paul
Parish Priest

“A prophet is despised only in his own country..."
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Let’s reflect on the prophet since the first reading for the Mass for the fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time this year refer specifically to the prophet. Ezekiel is told by God that he was being sent so that “…this set of rebels will know that there is a prophet among them.” We are being told as well that the Church is being sent by God to speak to people so that they too will know that there is a prophet among

Before we proceed however let us define the word prophet. The Oxford Dictionary defines as prophet “… a person regarded being sent by God to teach people.” Prophets therefore have a specific task of being sent to teach. In that light the Church is the prophet in our society today. The Church is called by God and sent so that people in Barbados will know that there is a prophet here in our nation. By virtue of our baptism we are the visible church since we are members of the very Body of Christ which is the Church.

In the Gospel for today Jesus points to his own experience as a prophet and forewarns us that our very own people will despise us when we prophesy. Yet it’s our vocation to so live and proclaim the Good News that our people will “…know that there is a prophet among us.”

Yes, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit sends us out to proclaim and live the Joy of the Gospel. When we do so and encounter rejection, remember that Jesus did say, “A prophet is despised only in his own country…”

Will you be that prophet?

Fr. Clement Paul
Parish Priest