Reflection by Jeff Koch
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scriptures References: Exodus 19:2-6; Psalm 100; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36-10:8
“O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Savior”
As I read these passages today, one phrase just stands out to me. “if, while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by His life.” As I go to the others passages with that phrase in mind some things just jump out at me.
In this passage, my mind goes to the idea of salvation. Too often we see salvation as a ticket to heaven. Jesus lived and died and lives again and when we come to Him and are adopted into the family of God, some say, “our ticket is punched for the train ride to heaven when we die.” But is that all salvation is about, going to heaven? While it is a starting point of our walk with Jesus, the end reward is not the totality of our life in Jesus.
I noticed the phrase, “how much more . . .” More than what? Reconciliation! Yes, but notice, “ . . . being saved by his life . . .” is more that his “punching our ticket to heaven.” What does that mean? It’s not just about going to heaven; it is about in the ongoing process of living with Jesus, of being saved, it is being healed of the things that have damaged our souls from the fall, the things that have happened to us as we have lived in this life, hurtful things that pierced our heart. The ongoing salvation of our souls is what brings healing and wholeness in our walk with Jesus. Jesus once said, it is not the righteous who need a shepherd but the sick who need a doctor.
As we read in Exodus, “if this people (he has just brought out of captivity), would harken to his voice and do what he said, that they would be his special possession; dearer to him than all other people, they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” But as we read in our gospel, When Jesus “saw the crowds, his heart was moved with pity, because he saw the people troubled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd.” These were the chosen people that God promised would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. But now they are in this condition.
The reason Jesus came in flesh to this world was that God once also saw his people being treated badly and they at another time were like sheep without a shepherd and at that time he promised he would come and shepherd his people. As Ezekiel says, ”Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them.” The incarnation is God coming, in Jesus, to shepherd his people. God so was concerned about his people, his special people above all people, but now that concern come to all people. And now Jesus finds them in this condition.
But saving the sheep is not just about putting them into the fold so they can rest externally in the heavens, but to guide them and lead them from those things that harm them, things that harm us and distract us, things that can steal and kill and destroy the sheep. Being saved by his life, as seen in the gospels, he being our shepherd, he is the healer of our soul. Not just to show us God’s love, and bring us back to God; but to transform and heal that which has been wounded in us so we can find fellowship, healing, wholeness and life in walking with him. Jesus’ presence was shepherding God’s people. For him to be with us, to care for us, to love on us, to bring us back to the life for which we were intended to live, to walk with God, is to each day receive his healing and life. He lives to give us life. So Jesus heals, teaches, and guides these troubled and abandoned sheep with no shepherd. Even today!
He wants this ministry to continue. Realizing that this was the condition of the world, he sees the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. So he sends those who follow him out to do what he was doing; to first of all, see the need of the lost sheep as they wandered aimlessly, very troubled and abandoned, and then to be with them and show the way of the kingdom. So his creation, his people; could return to being that special people, that chosen nation, that kingdom of priests, a holy nation. The world needs to know the presence and peace of Jesus, we it can be all God created it to be.
So, as Peter takes this concept as he says to us, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4,5)
So, thank him for his reconciliation of our lives back to God, but more than that, thank him because he walks with us and talks with us and yes; shepherds our lives to healing and wholeness. We are saved by his life. Jesus lives to continue to be with us.
O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you mortal frailty can do other, grant us always the help of your grace, that in following your commands we may please you by our remove and our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit God, forever and ever. Amen!