Homily for the Week of July 22, 2012

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time B 2012 Jer 23:1-6; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mark 6: 30-34 In 1877 Patrick McDonald came from Ireland as a baby and settled in Manchester, New Hampshire. He married his wife Margarete, also Irish born. They and their two sons moved to California where Patrick and his sons started a restaurant 75 years ago which he named McDonalds. Years later the brothers met a milkshake machine salesman by the name of Ray Kroc with whom they partnered to form McDonald’s. The success of this fast food chain is due to its clever advertising. A while back McDonalds used as its theme the jingle: YOU DESERVE A BREAK TODAY. Barry Manilow sang the words of this advertisement encouraging people to take a break. Actually, McDonald might well have borrowed from the message of Jesus of today's third reading. Jesus tells us that we need a break today and so get up and get away. Jesus says to us: COME BY YOURSELVES TO AN OUT-OF-THE WAY PLACE A REST A WHILE. Few scenes in the bible are more moving, more touching than today's reading from St. Mark's gospel. Jesus and his apostles are exhausted. They need to take some time off to catch their breathe. They tried to get away from the crowd to find some rest. They could not even find time to eat since the people kept coming and going in such great numbers. So they went off in a boat to a deserted place. They tried to get away from it all. Although the crowds did not have any modern day cell phones or GPS equipment they still found Jesus and his friends as they walked about the Lake of Galilee under the blazing Palestinian sun. They were motivated by the miracles of Jesus. They were looking for help and guidance. Who were they? They were the poor; the broken hearted, the downtrodden from all walks of life. They were human beings whose hearts were restless. They were looking for something more than they had. They were hungry for a leader who would make sense to them, for someone who could feed the deep hunger of their souls. They were looking for someone who cares about them, and one who can protect them. So eager are they to find Jesus. Jesus tells each one of us that we need a break today -- and not just today but every day. The kind of break that Jesus approves is to get away from all business as usual and to go off into solitude where you can spend some time with God. From time to time each one of us need to get away from our routine in order to think things through, in order to allow God to speak to our hearts, in order to pray. Taking a break in order to listen to God does not mean that you have to travel far. It can be anyplace around your home or place you live where you have found time for prayer and reflection in the past. For most Catholics it can be what you have chosen to do today -- to take time with you family or by yourself to join others here in Church. If we don't we then become like sheep without a shepherd spoken of in our First Reading. All too often we forget about the need for being alone. We are constantly bombarded by TV, radio, stereo systems, people. With the increase of social communication it seems that many persons can’t go a just a few minutes without texting someone -- even while driving or in conversations with family or friends. After a while we cannot hear anything because we are overburdened. All of these social means of communication like Facebook may desensitize us. The conclusion is that people are not real. Jesus recommended moments of solitude so that God could speak to us. In solitude God is able to be heard because there is nothing else blocking the communication. One of the forceful messages of the McDonald’s You deserve a break today was that the break was to stop for a few minutes to chat and laugh and communicate with someone while you were both having a hamburger. One of the duties which was given to us on our Baptism was to be a leader like Jesus. Being a leader does not depend on our age, or our education. Whether we know it or not, all of us are leaders. We can lead others to make the most of themselves, or lead others to destroy themselves. And how well we lead others depends on how well we take control of ourselves. We make a difference in the life others if we have made a difference in our own life. We make a difference when others see us as happy persons. We cannot be happy if others are not. Joy has to be shared. Go and tell other people about your joy at finding the precious treasure, which is Jesus himself. So often religion and Christianity is depicted as a way of life that stifles our freedom and goes against our desires for happiness and joy. But this is far from the truth. Christians are men and women who are truly happy because they know that they are not alone. They know that God is always holding them in his hands. It is up to us to show the world that faith brings happiness and a joy, which is true, full and enduring. If the way Christians live at times appears dull and boring, you should be the first to show the joyful and happy side of faith. Don't ever be afraid to let Jesus lead you and teach you. Let each of us put ourselves as close to Jesus as is possible and we hope that something rubs off. We live and how we live in Jesus is revealed in our smallest actions and most public gestures. You are here in this church today because Jesus does make a difference in your life. First of all, be sure you realize that you do make a difference. And this week be tell someone that they have made a difference in our life. COME BY OURSELVES IN SOME OUT OF THE WAY PLACE AND REST A WHILE.