(Chapter 23:1-6)
The prophet Jeremiah was active in the late seventh and early sixth centuries before the birth of Jesus in a culture that depended on sheep for clothing and for food. In that culture, as in many before and since, shepherds were very important. A good shepherd was highly valued, and so the Israelites often referred to their kings as shepherds. Jeremiah complains that the shepherd-kings of his time have not cared for the sheep, their subjects, and he warns, “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.”
We often refer to bishops in our Church today as shepherds who are to lead us, and the sign of a bishop's office is the shepherd's crook. In our local churches, too, we call the leaders our pastors, a word that means shepherd. The role of bishops and pastors is not to scatter us but, on the contrary, to help us embrace the faith and sacraments that make us one, the Body of Christ. Sheep, it is said, recognize the voice of their shepherd and will not follow anyone else. The voice we recognize is that of Jesus Christ, of whom our bishops and pastors are visible signs. May we always strive for the unity that Jesus desired for us, as he prayed to the Father, "that they may be one as you and I are one."
Responsorial Psalm
(Psalm 23)
“The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.” Jesus is the true shepherd who gives us unconditional love, forgiveness, and strength for all our needs. We need only to ask, to be patient, and to accept the gifts he gives us.
A reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians
(Chapter 2:13-18)
“Brothers and sisters: In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.” We sometimes have an idealized picture of the early Church as peaceful groups of people being persecuted by the Roman government and cut off from their birth religion. Paul tells us throughout his letters that there were divisions and conflicts in the early community, but what was most important was that Jesus had given them “access in one Spirit to the Father.” He did this by “abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims.” Paul is not talking about the Ten Commandments but rather the hundreds of minor laws and dietary restrictions that kept people oppressed and always believing they were not good enough. These laws, when inflexibly applied, promoted the power of the very religious leaders who condemned Jesus and kept the people under their thumb.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark
(Chapter 6:30-34)
Here we have one more example of the humanity of Jesus. He and the apostles were tired and hungry. He tells them to “rest a while,” but the crowds follow them and follow them again when they leave by boat. Then another dimension of Jesus’ humanity acme to fore. “His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.”
The people of Jesus time and culture knew exactly what he meant by the term "good shepherd." As we read in the prophecy of Jeremiah today, and as we hear throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the shepherd is the true leader. Jesus had read or listened to the scriptures throughout his life before his ministry. He knew who he was and what his mission was. Being called and calling himself a shepherd was a sign of his authority and his love for his people. “For they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” He continues to teach us today if we are willing to listen.
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Photograph by Biegun Wschodni on Unsplash.Excerpts from the English translation of the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved.
Bill Ayers was a founder, with the late singer Harry Chapin, of WhyHunger. Bill was a radio and TV broadcaster for 40 years. He is a member of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport, New York. Deacon Charles Paolino is managing editor at RENEW International.