Today’s first reading, Jeramiah 23:1-6, presents us with two contrasting portraits of shepherds. We have a graphic description of BAD shepherds (leaders) who were careless and who scattered the sheep and drove them away. And then God intervened, punishing the bad shepherds and taking responsibility for the sheep. God gathered the sheep together, brought them back to their meadow and appointed good shepherds who would “shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing…”. God also promised to raise up “a righteous shoot to David”, “a leader who will “reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security.”
The people of the world had to wait almost 600 years for the righteous leader Jeramiah prophesied about to appear. Shortly after Jesus began his ministry the crowds began to pursue him relentlessly. He recognized that they were lost, fearful and starved for messages of compassion and hope. They were “like sheep without a shepherd.” They recognized him as a good shepherd and they followed him. As Jesus tells us in St John’s Gospel when the shepherd enters the sheepfold, “the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers” (John 10:3-5).
The question for us here in Peachtree City today is do we recognize the voice of Jesus when he calls us out of our sheepfolds? Are we willing to follow this shepherd who was willing to lay down his life for us? Do we have the courage, compassion, love, forgiveness and fortitude to be good shepherds ourselves to all those people for whom we are responsible?
We all are called to be good shepherds. We all have a responsibility to nurture and protect the most venerable people in our world. We all also have a responsibility to nurture ourselves following the example of Jesus taking time for rest, reflection and prayer.
Our loving God,
your Son Jesus has revealed you to us
as more tender, warm hearted and compassionate
than any mother could ever be.
Be near to all who are wounded in life,
care for all the little people trampled upon in our world.
Help all those who follow your Son
become people who can forgive and heal,
and make themselves nourishing bread
for all who are hungry in any way.
Help us care for one another
as you care for us through Jesus,
your Son and our Lord for ever and ever.
Amen.
