Implicit in today’s gospel-reading are questions for all of us who claim to belong to the very extensive community of Christians: Do we believe that God will provide us with what we need to carry out the mission in which God wants us to be involved? Does our way of engaging send a message of hope and generosity or do those to whom we reach out see us as people who give grudgingly of our time and resources? In today’s readings from Kings and John, Elisha and Jesus reveal a God of abundance and generosity, reflects Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

Today’s Gospel reading is a reminder to us that we, as followers of Jesus, have accepted the dual role of shepherd and sheep and the dual responsibility of encouraging our shepherds and constructively critiquing their actions when they fail us, reflects Christian Brother Julian McDonald. That, of course, means that we need to take time to look into the mirror ourselves, to reflect on our failures and to be alert to the occasions when the only appropriate response open to us is to show compassion.

Today’s readings challenge us all to take seriously our vocation to proclaim by our living the message that God’s love and mercy, God’s compassion and justice are for all of humankind, reflects Br Julian McDonald CFC. There is nothing to be gained by getting upset or vindictive when our efforts to share God’s message are ignored or not even noticed. What matters most is that what we say and do emanates from within. We leave the rest to God.

These days, both Jairus and the unnamed hemorrhaging woman in this week’s Gospel readings would be categorised as boundary violators, reflects Christian Brother Julian McDonald. Moreover, Jesus himself would fit into that category. He ignores the purity laws and brushes aside class and gender distinctions and rules, all for the sake of giving God’s love free passage into the lives of people in need.

The storm of today’s gospel-reading is a metaphor for the many storms we encounter in our lives, reflects Christian Brother Julian McDonald. But let’s not miss the opening sentences of that reading: “Late that day he said to them: “‘Let’s go across to the other side’. They took him in the boat as he was” (my emphasis). Those words prompt me to ask myself: “Am I ready, willing and able to meet Jesus as he is, rather than set about remodelling him as I would like him to be?” We all run the risk of wanting to attribute to God and to Jesus qualities that domesticate them and protect our comfort.