Non-discriminatory Shepherding

August 20: Wednesday of Week 20 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:

Ezekiel 34:1-11; Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Matthew 20:1-16

Thoughts to help us surrender to Jesus expressing himself through us in ministry.

Non-discriminatory Shepherding

 “I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” Ezekiel 34:11

Through Ezekiel God condemns ministers who are in it for what they get out of it. Not just money; it could be prestige, preferential treatment, or just self-satisfaction.

By contrast, Jesus presents an employer who is in business first of all to provide a livelihood to his employees, and what he gets out of it is secondary. His work is his ministry.

Good shepherds work to feed the sheep; not to feed their own egos, their pocketbooks, or—God forbid—their vices by a soft, lazy, high, or pretentious lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the clergy come to mind. But more unfortunately, we don’t blame the laity for tolerating them. Passive sheep are as guilty as profiteering shepherds. Those who don’t react, resist, report and rebel are responsible for every abuse the clergy inflict on the flock

The laity profiteer by failing to minister to every single person they deal with. Every Christian who does not “ strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strayed and seek the lost” is in the Church to take, not to give. We are all “our brother’s shepherd.”

Frequently we don’t see shepherds as lost sheep. But we are all both sheep and shepherds; equally responsible for intervening—as equals—when shepherds or sheep are going astray, regardless of anyone’s “title” in the Church.

PRAY: “Lord, give me a shepherd’s heart.”

PRACTICE: Care for sheep and shepherds alike.