“St Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”” In today’s reflection from the Daily Mass, Fr Dean explores the restlessness we may experience on our journey through life.
BIBLE READINGS: You can find the readings for Saturday in the fourth week of the year here
A typical memory from my childhood during the summer months was seeing flocks of sheep wandering through the valley.
Some would make it into people’s gardens. I don’t know if it was the practice of the farmer of the day to let his sheep loose. If it was then, thankfully those days came to an end. The sheep looked out of place, and many got themselves into trouble, stuck by the side of the river or in some other tight spot, like the ram we had a face off with in my neighbour’s garden. On many occasions, we had to phone the farmer to come and rescue them a lost lamb or an injured sheep.
The image of a shepherd for God is a common one in the Old Testament. Psalm 23 comes to mind, of course. Jesus, too, uses the image of himself, and that’s how the gospel writer illustrates the crowd who seek Jesus. They are like sheep without a shepherd. Wandering, lost and out of place. Despite trying to find a place and time to rest, Jesus feels sorry for them and leaves his seclusion to teach them and guide them.
Perhaps, at times, we can relate to that crowd or even to the sheep of my valley’s childhood. We may feel out of place, lost and wandering, with little direction and no means of getting out of a tight spot. We may feel hemmed in by pressures all around us, or feel restless and awkward, unfulfilled or not at ease. St Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Without God, we shall be forever wandering and never ultimately fulfilled. St Augustine had sought meaning and fulfilment in so many different ways and worldly pleasures. The restlessness he and we experience isn’t a bad thing. It is part of the journey, prompting us to discover our need of God, our source and fulfilment, our beginning and our end.
Mass today is at St Mary’s church at 1130am (preceded by Morning Prayer and Rosary from 11am)
DAY BY DAY
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