Every time I post one of my paintings on social media, I cringe when I imagine what my brilliantly artistic friends will think of it. But why do I keep painting despite that apprehension? Because I still want to make something good out of the small talents God has given me by growing them.

In one of his homilies, Fr. Dave Concepcion affirmed this mindset. He said, “Have the courage to do something new. If you keep doing what you have been doing, then you will only get what you had been getting. You are not growing anymore. Growing old is not a reason to stop pursuing something better.” Then he quoted these lyrics by Bob Dylan: “He not busy being born is busy dying.”

Painting is not just for my growth but a way to share God’s Word to the world. I turn my paintings into e-posters that convey God’s messages that I feature in my faith blog or my reflections. If my amateur work blesses or enlightens just one person, my efforts to be “busy being born” would have served a higher purpose. Lella M. Santiago (lellams88@gmail.com)

reflect

Is there something you want to offer to the world but you’re ashamed because you think it’s not good enough? Think how others may be blessed by your small offering.

Father, I offer back to You the gifts You have given me. Use them for Your glory.

St. Joseph of Leonissa, pray for us.

The phrase “sacrifice of praise” is an interesting one to ponder. What does it really mean to praise God in a sacrificial way? There are many answers to this question because “praise” is beyond singing or speaking. A sacrifice of praise to God can also be done through service, fasting, and other actions. Let us broaden our understanding of this idea and offer our lives as sacrifices of praise to God. Let us listen to Him and do His will every moment every day.

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters: Through Jesus, let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind. ¹⁷ Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you. ²⁰ May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord, ²¹ furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will. May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; ³ he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. ⁴ Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) ⁵ You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) ⁶ Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come. (R)

Gospel | Mark 6:30-34

Leaders, pastors, and priests need to ensure that they do not leave their flocks without a shepherd. Jesus is saddened by the way the people have been neglected by their leaders who are too busy enriching themselves and enjoying the pleasures. This is a travesty of leadership. Negligent leaders will be held accountable by God for their actions, or in this case, their lack of action.

Gospel Acclamation

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, they follow me.

³⁰ The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. ³¹ He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. ³² So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. ³³ People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. ³⁴ When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Read the Bible in one year! Read ROMANS 13 - 16 today.

In today’s Gospel, the demands of the pastoral ministry on Jesus and the disciples is on full display: “. . . so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat.” Jesus longed for “me time” with His disciples and so He invited them: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” They intended to go to a solitary place to rest, but people got wind of their plans, and so, lo and behold, they got there before Jesus and the disciples, and were already waiting with their sick and their requests for healing and teaching.

The Gospel ends with a poignant line: “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”

This reminded me of a personal experience. It was eight in the morning and I was about to begin an online class with my students from San Carlos Seminary. Minutes into my lecture, I noticed an incoming call on my cell phone. It was on silent mode but it kept on buzzing. I thought it must be something important, so I took a glance at the caller ID and it was my parish secretary. A parishioner was looking for a priest to anoint his dying father, and so I excused myself from the class. It took me a while to reach the hospital, do the anointing of the sick, and then return to the parish. I ended up missing the class for that day.

The next meeting, I apologized to the class for missing delivering what was supposed to be an important lesson that day. I remember saying in jest, “I’m sorry. It was just wrong timing.” A seminarian responded, “That’s OK, Father. We actually learned a more important lesson. We are going to be priests someday, and we just learned what the daily demands of the pastoral ministry can be.”

I smiled and realized that he was right. And then it came to me: when it comes to doing good and being good, there is no such thing as wrong timing. Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

Be open to occasional interruptions. They may be divine interruptions that bring divine lessons.

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous with my time and be open to Your interruptions. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________________