July Homily
by Msg. William Biebel
Pittsburg, PA


"Come aside and rest awhile."

Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs to preach and get things organized for Him. They came back and they were all excited, so much had happened that was good. And Jesus said, "Come over here, sit down,rest a little while." They were as tired as He was and it was probably a good suggestion.

Jesus looks around and He sees a lot people just wandering, no direction, looking for some kind of meaning to attach themselves to.

People try this, then that, but many were aimless and didn't have any connections.

Have you ever noticed the personal ads in our papers and magazines, the internet? People in search of:
     "Young man in search of companionship."
     "Young woman in search of someone to share thoughts, dinner, quiet time, the outdoors."
   
What does this mean? There is a lack of personal closeness in people's lives, everyone wants someone who will add meaning to their lives. In our time and culture, this means that there are many challenges to personal closeness. We are like lost sheep. 
   
One of the challenges, one that has been around for decades, is our dependence on cars. We have grown used to going where we want, when we want, and we go alone and do what we want. It is inconceivable for most people to walk to the corner, wait for the bus, work out a ride with others, get fairly close to our destination and walk some more.With our cars, we hardly know who our neighbors are, let alone sit on a front porch and share our lives with someone else. Do we really have that much to do that others are not important to us? 

Another, even greater challenge is the explosion of technology inour lives, caused by computers. We contact countless people everyday by email, facebook, or myspace, but we don't really get close. It can give one a kind of false courage that let's us say things to others that we would never say to their face. Think of how each of our lives have changed.  
    

Don't you long to be found and valued?Are you so busy with a thousand details, that there is little time togo in search of the living God? We need to break out of our isolation,our independence, and learn to be together as families, neighbors,friends, community,...long enough to appreciate and know others.

Ourfaith tells us that grace builds on nature. We need each other to find our meaning. We are baptized into a family of faith: the church. We will be saved as a people, not as loners.  These remaining month sof summer, before all the doors and windows are closed again, against the wind and cold, it is time to break out of our isolation and discover our God who speaks through others, and through ourselves.

Whatever it takes, find time, make effort, write your life story in ink, don't just scribble it in pencil. This can be the beginning of finding our way to God who is waiting for each us to come home, to rest awhile and hear one another's voice, hear His voice. 
The Good Shepherd is calling us, waiting to be our life. 

He is sitting patiently on a front porch, waiting for us to slow down,rest awhile, discover meaning in Him. May our search lead us to Him.Lead us to each other during these summer days, to discover Your lovein others.