Fr. Michael Williams

There is a famous painting by the impressionist artist Paul Gauguin entitled, ‘Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?’ The painting illustrates a group of native Tahitians pondering the mystery of life and asking deep questions about life, ‘Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?’.

Throughout history, people have been searching for the meaning of existence. This search has brought much knowledge of the truth, but it has also led mankind into a few blind alleys.

At the time of Our Lord, many people were searching for meaning and truth. We catch a glimpse of that in today’s gospel. “People…from every town hurried to the place on foot”, to be with Christ. They must have sensed that Jesus had answers to their questions and so they made a great effort to be with Him.

In a similar vein, millions of people across the world, “from every town”, make their way to Mass every Sunday to encounter Christ. Just as those people in today’s gospel made their way to Him to be nourished, so too today people seek out Christ at Mass to be nourished by Him, and to find answers to their deepest longings.

St Mark’s gospel relays to us that Jesus, “took pity on the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd”. Christ also takes pity on us as we journey through life with all its troubles and He provides what is necessary. One of the temptations facing humanity, individually and collectively, is that the Lord does not “take pity”. This untruth is to be rejected, the Lord cares more deeply about us than anyone else. Jesus never said we would avoid suffering, but He does say He will accompany us in this world, until we reach the Lord’s own house, and dwell there forever and ever.

Psalm 22 encapsulates this reality. This psalm reminds us that, “the Lord is our shepherd…reviving our drooping spirits”. With the cares of life overburdening us, we need the revitalization that the Lord alone can give. Most of all He can renew and strengthens us through the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. These sacraments received frequently enable us to walk through this “valley of darkness…fearing no evil”, knowing that the Lord is with us on our pilgrimage to the Promised Land. Indeed we won’t reach our destination without Him because He “guides us along the right path”. To take the right path in this world means to follow Our Lord, who trod the way of the cross.

Jesus also “set Himself to teach them at some length”, illustrating to us that He can provide answers to our questions. This teaching is articulated through the Church, which is His Body. Our Lord’s teaching was often challenging; His message could be difficult. When He taught the people at the synagogue in Capernaum, on the need to be fed with His Body and Blood, many of those present said, “This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?” Nevertheless, many did accept His teachings and came to accept Christ as providing the way and meaning to life.

To answer the impressionist artist Paul Gauguin question, ‘Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?’ Christ provides the answer. ‘Where do we come from? We come from God who is our Creator. What are we? We are His children made in His image and likeness, and thus with a great dignity. Where are we going?’ We are going to the Lord’s own house if we let the Good Shepherd take control and guide us there.