16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Jer 23:1-6

God reproves evil governors; and promises to send good pastors; and Christ himself the prince of the pastors. He inveighs against false prophets preaching without being sent.

[1] Woe to the pastors, that destroy and tear the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. [2] Therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel to the pastors that feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold I will visit upon you for the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. [3] And I will gather together the remnant of my flock, out of all the lands into which I have cast them out: and I will make them return to their own fields, and they shall increase and be multiplied. [4] And I will set up pastors over them, and they shall feed them: they shall fear no more, and they shall not be dismayed: and none shall be wanting of their number, saith the Lord. [5] Behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will raise up to David a just branch: and a king shall reign, and shall be wise, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth.

[6] In those days shall Juda be saved, and Israel shall dwell confidently: and this is the name that they shall call him: the Lord our just one.

Second Reading

Eph 2:13-18

[13] But now in Christ Jesus, you, who some time were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, the enmities in his flesh: [15] Making void the law of commandments contained in decrees; that he might make the two in himself into one new man, making peace;

[16] And might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, killing the enmities in himself. [17] And coming, he preached peace to you that were afar off, and peace to them that were nigh. [18] For by him we have access both in one Spirit to the Father.

Gospel

Mark 6:30-34

[30] And the apostles coming together unto Jesus, related to him all things that they had done and taught.

[31] And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat. [32] And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart. [33] And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them. [34] And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.