Commentary to the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

Sheep and pastor have been powerful images and symbols in biblical traditions. Pasturing has been an important concept to describe our relationship with God in the Bible. This concept is accompanied with the God’s image as compassionate, merciful, forgiving, generous, just, liberator, etc…  In every moment the human is caught with enormous difficulty, there is God not only present to rescue him or her but also giving him or her freedom to decide what is best. God’s love is always respectful to human choices.

In Jesus time, many were at loss. Many were struggling to reach a decent and dignified life. Many were burdened with deep spiritual emptiness and human longings. Many were searching for a pastor. Much of what Jesus did was to respond to this search. And his foremost act was “to teach them” the ways of the kingdom.

There is no school for life. We discover, understand and learn from life as we live it. Nowadays, of course, we have great possibilities to take hold of our life: we read books, we watch films, we listen to experiences, and we learn from spiritual leaders and pastors to give us leads and answers to the deep issues of our human living… We are like sheep and we need pastors. 

Though God’s love is respectful of our choices, he invites us to consider the ways of the kingdom.