Meditation of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: XVI Sunday of Ordinary Time

Below you can find the Meditation of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, for the XVI Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sunday 21 July 2024.

Mk 6,30-34

In last Sunday’s Gospel (Mk 6:7-13), we learned of the Lord’s disciples’ mission: to meet the world in their pain.

It is not about waiting for those who suffer to come and knock on the Church’s door, but about seeking them out, joining them, and sharing in their pain.

The disciples were sent out by their Master. They did not take many tools or develop specific strategies. They left empty-handed, and because of this, they experienced the weaknesses and pains that affect human life.

Thus, to heal this soul illness, there is only one remedy: to become a person who is welcoming and hospitable to others so they can unburden themselves without fear.

Today's passage (Mark 6:30-34) informs us that the Lord Jesus especially cares for those called to this mission.

Upon the disciple's return, He offers them a period of rest and rejuvenation, comprising two distinct events.

The first event (Mk 6:30) is indispensable: the disciples return to the Lord, gather around Him, and share everything they have experienced with Him.

It is an essential moment because it concerns the very identity of the disciples and, therefore, the Church of any era.

Indeed, the Church is not primarily a group of people who look after others and do good to them. Instead, they gather around the Lord to draw and share life with everyone.

Without a constant return to the source, there is a risk of becoming self-absorbed, no longer bringing the Lord’s salvation but that of self.

It would become a fruitless mission.

Gathered around the Lord, the disciples share their experiences and recount what they have witnessed. This is a fundamental step of faith, as it involves

reflecting on lived experiences in the context of the Word, allowing the teachings of the Lord Jesus to illuminate their experiences with the light of Easter.

Alongside this moment, to which Jesus dedicates all the necessary time, there is a second one, which, on the other hand, seems to encounter some hindrances: Jesus, in fact, invites his own to withdraw to a deserted area to rest for a while (Mk. 6:31), but this does not happen, because so many people, sensing their intentions, precede them and wait for them in the place where they were headed to find some rest.

What does this mean?…

This Meditation was originally published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.