06/14/2026
God's Loving Care for Us
(11th Sunday Ordinary Time A;
Sunday, June 14th)
We return to the celebration of the Sundays of the ordinary time after concluding the central mysteries of or faith in the Paschal feasts and the subsequent feasts of the blessed Trinity, Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart and I find myself drawn to something the late Pope Francis wrote on the occasion of the institution of the Sunday of the Word of God: "The relationship between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and Sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians. If the Lord does not open our minds to the Scriptures, it is impossible to understand them in depth."
One idea that comes to me and connects the three readings of today, 'is God's loving care for us.’ This gift of God's unconditional love is not just for our own glorification but an invitation to share and witness to that love to others. He calls us his sons and daughters and sends his own beloved son to save us when we are lost.
In the reading from Exodus, God uses a beautiful image. He says He carried the Israelites on "eagles' wings" while rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. This God does not just govern His people as another ruler; He protects them caringly, like a mother eagle with her chick. He goes further still; he tells them they are His "treasured possession." All He asks is for them to humbly accept their new status.
In the second reading, Saint Paul explains just how deep God's love is. He not only sent his beloved Son but he reminds us that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. What this means is, we do not have to be perfect to earn God's love, in fact true love cannot be earned. Jesus did not make it a condition that we fix all our weaknesses and get mistakes in order to continue in his love. He loves us at our worst so that we could be at our best.
In the Gospel, Jesus looks at the crowds of people and feels deep compassion for them. They look like "sheep without a shepherd" - confused, tired, and lost.
Jesus says the "harvest is abundant, but the labourers are few." This means there are many people who need help, who are lost in a wilderness of greed for riches, pleasure and power, who are searching for love, and guidance, but not enough people to give it.
Jesus does not just feel sorry for the people. He takes action: He calls His twelve apostles, gives them His power, and sends them out to offer guidance, to give them hope to lead them to the truth.
Jesus reminds them, "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." He reminds us that because God gave us His love for free, we should share love and kindness with others for free, too.
~Fr. Michael Morrissey, OMI
