WHO IS THE COMPASSIONATE SHEPHERD?

HOMILY FOR THE 16^TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Compassion is  etymologically traceable to the Latin word, compassio (sympathy). Compassio comprises of two words com (together) and pati (to suffer), which when combined gives the meaning: to suffer together. It has been explained to be a synonym for the word pity which some of the biblical translators preferred in their translations, and in fact is used in today’s Gospel (Mark 6:30-34) by our Lectionary. But, the word pity does not capture well what the word compassion depicts. Pity can be a feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something. But compassion goes beyond it; it is a deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it. There are three levels in a compassionate feeling: Looking to see, seeing to feel, and feeling to act. Pity as a word does not necessarily involve the third level. Pity can stop at the second level. This is why I favour compassion when linked with Jesus. And in fact, the Greek word used in Mark 6:34 confirms my proposition. Splagchizomai is a Greek word which denotes mercy and sympathy and a loving concern. The word denotes sympathy with a firm plan to assist.

The Gospel periscope started with the missionary account of the disciples, and would serve to be an introduction to the feeding of the Five thousand in Mark 6:35-44. The response of Jesus to his disciples that have done so well in their missionary work was to invite them to rest. Surely, after work comes rest. But even at that, people were still coming that they had no opportunity even to eat. They later on succeeded in getting a boat to go to a quiet place, and on discovering about their desired location, many of those people ‘made use of google map to decipher the shortest route’ to that place. And so, they reached there before Jesus and the disciples. One can then imagine the surprise on the faces of Jesus and his disciples on seeing this huge crowd. Instead of an expected expression of frustration and anger as a result of their privacy which has been invaded, Jesus felt compassion on them, for they were like sheep without shepherd. And without getting the rest they wanted or even eating the food they needed, He immediately began to teach them. Compassion breeds sacrifice. Jesus and his disciples have ended up sacrificing their vacation (rest, holiday, an hour off, a day off, sabbatical leave) and their meal (personal engagements, pleasures, leisure and recreational experiences) because they looked, saw and acted. And this is compassion.

But how are they like sheep without a shepherd? A sheep without a shepherd cannot find its way. This means that such a sheep will get lost. If the people were left to themselves, they would probably grope in the darkness of evil, and losing their souls. A sheep without a shepherd cannot find its pasture and food. This means that such a sheep will go hungry and die off. And so, leaving the people to themselves would probably lead to spiritual starvation, denying them of the salvation needed by our souls. A sheep without a shepherd is defenceless against dangers. This means that such a sheep is prone to several attacks, planned or unplanned. Therefore, leaving the people to themselves would tantamount to their exposition to danger and to an easy attack from the arch enemy of God -the Devil- and his messengers -the demons. Thus, Jesus Christ as the compassionate Shepherd forfeited his rest and his meal to become the shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (cf. John 10:15). He began to teach them. The teacher desires to dispel ignorance from the mind and character of the student. My people perished for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). And so, the act of teaching the people was salvific in itself. Jesus does not want them (and us) to perish but to be taught to know God and follow his will.

God desires that we have shepherds that can gather us, his flocks. The First Reading (Jeremiah 23:1-6) saw the promise of God to his people of a good shepherd. 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. The absence of compassion in these shepherds led them to be regarded as fake. They did the opposite of what a good shepherd should do. They left the sheep to go astray and failed to care for them. For this, they would be punished and a new shepherd from the shoot of David (the Christ) would rise and save the people. Indeed, he would be called “the Lord of Justice.” This title would be his, because according to the Second Reading (Eph. 2:13-18), he would abolish the law and its claims “that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace…through the cross.” On the one hand, the law Jesus abolished was the law that had no compassion and sympathy for the human person; and on the opposite hand, the law Jesus inaugurated was the law which has as its foundation compassion for justice and order. And that is the law of love and sacrifice.

The stories of great personalities who have shown compassion for their fellow humans, for the society and for the Church becomes an encouragement and a calling to become extensions of the compassionate Shepherd in the areas we find ourselves. We too are called to be compassionate. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, OFM who was proclaimed the patron saint of our Difficult Century by John Paul II was a Polish Conventual Friar volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the German death camp of Auschwitz. He was canonized on 10 October, 1982. Mother Teresa of Calcutta who was canonized on 4 September, 2016 devoted her life to the care of the sick/dying, abandoned children and the education of street children. John Mary Vianney, canonized in 1925 and the patron saint of Parish priests in his compassion to liberate the people from the slavery of sin became very outstanding in his persevering ministry in the sacrament of confession. These are great acts of compassion. If such stories make us want to be like them, we may need to think how others would want our stories to make them want to be like us. We can imagine a world in which every person in it ever desires to reach out and touch another human being not just with our eyes or with our hands, but with our hearts. Indeed, compassion is a necessity; without it, humanity cannot survive.  Compassion is the key. Happy New Week. God bless you.