Christ – our unfailing assurance

We seek a magic formula which would end all evil in individual lives, in society, even in churches. We get surprised when we observe a shocking godlessness, a moral decadence, a culture of death so frightening that we begin to wonder whether God has forsaken us. We begin to question His providence. Does He really care for His creatures, most of all His people?

Christ answers that question through the mouth of His prophet: "I myself will gather my flock...and bring them back to their meadow..." (Jer 3:4) and we have the Word which has accompanied the Church for a little over two-thousand years: "I am with you always to the close of the age" (Mt 28:20). From this, dear brothers and sisters, let us gain new impetus in Christian living making it the force which inspires our journey of faith.

Without underestimating the problem we face, let us fare forward in hope. The new millennium opens before the Church. We will surely not be saved by seeking a new formula to counteract the ills of our time. It is not a matter of formulating new programmes. Everything is planned out for us in the Gospel and the living tradition which remains the same as ever. Our salvation is in a Person, the Person of Christ who ultimately in our Center, who give us the assurance, "I Am with you." All that is asked of us is to know Him, to love Him, to imitate Him, so that in Him we can have the life of God Himself, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and with Christ transform lives.

Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that as times change, accordingly we must also change the Gospel message. Christ is the eternal Word who remains the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8). We cannot say, oh yes, God did say that whoever He joins together let no man put asunder; but that doesn’t go for our modern times anymore. So, separate couples who have gotten tired of each other. Why prolong the suffering of a dying person? End that all with euthanasia. Too many pregnancies... enjoy sex as much as you want, but abort the inconvenience of having children that might come out of it. Go on, steal and plunder; so long as you don’t get caught that is all right. Morality is relative; that depends whether laws are convenient or not. This, and many others which become fragmentations of the moral and religious order established by God. God, in giving His laws saw to it that they are absolute and for all times. All this fragmented deviations of truth and goodness are decried in the Word of God today as separating God’s flock, and as faithful Shepherd, Christ will establish His order through the Gospels and the traditional teachings of His Church.

Christ, supreme "Good News", shepherds His flock according to His Gospels which we should translate into pastoral initiatives. Priest, bishops, religious, and laity serving the Church and the faithful translate the Gospels into pastoral initiatives. With this universal and indispensable collaboration, the Gospel must continue to take root and make good the unfailing assurance of Christ, the Good Shepherd, that He will take care of His flock.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Times, Mark 6:30-34