The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for the last Sunday of the Church year uses images of shepherds, sheep and goats to encourage us to ponder our role as servants of Christ the King.
The reading from the Prophet Ezekiel declares God as the True Shepherd.
* [34:2] Shepherds: the leaders of the people. A frequent title for kings and deities in the ancient Near East; the ideal ruler took care of his subjects and anticipated their needs. Ezekiel’s oracle broadens the reference to include the whole class of Jerusalem’s leaders (v. 17). The prophet assures his audience, the exiles in Babylon, that God holds these leaders responsible for what has happened to Jerusalem and will give Israel a new shepherd worthy of the title. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34, n.d.)
Psalm 23 is praise for The Divine Shepherd
* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).
* [23:1] My shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ez 34:11–16; Jn 10:11–18).
* [23:3] Right paths: connotes “right way” and “way of righteousness.”
* [23:5] You set a table before me: this expression occurs in an exodus context in Ps 78:19. In front of my enemies: my enemies see that I am God’s friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Ps 104:15; Mt 26:7; Lk 7:37, 46; Jn 12:2).
* [23:6] Goodness and mercy: the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel. (Psalms, PSALM 23, n.d.)
The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares Christ as the Firstfruits.
* [15:20] The firstfruits: the portion of the harvest offered in thanksgiving to God implies the consecration of the entire harvest to come. Christ’s resurrection is not an end in itself; its finality lies in the whole harvest, ourselves.
* [15:21–22] Our human existence, both natural and supernatural, is corporate, involves solidarity. In Adam…in Christ: the Hebrew word ’ādām in Genesis is both a common noun for mankind and a proper noun for the first man. Paul here presents Adam as at least a literary type of Christ; the parallelism and contrast between them will be developed further in 1 Cor 15:45–49 and in Rom 5:12–21.
* [15:24–28] Paul’s perspective expands to cosmic dimensions, as he describes the climax of history, the end. His viewpoint is still christological, as in 1 Cor 15:20–23. 1 Cor 15:24, 28 describe Christ’s final relations to his enemies and his Father in language that is both royal and military; 1 Cor 15:25–28 inserts a proof from scripture (Ps 110:1; 8:6) into this description. But the viewpoint is also theological, for God is the ultimate agent and end, and likewise soteriological, for we are the beneficiaries of all the action.
* [15:26] The last enemy…is death: a parenthesis that specifies the final fulfillment of the two Old Testament texts just referred to, Ps 110:1 and Ps 8:7. Death is not just one cosmic power among many, but the ultimate effect of sin in the universe (cf. 1 Cor 15:56; Rom 5:12). Christ defeats death where it prevails, in our bodies. The destruction of the last enemy is concretely the “coming to life” (1 Cor 15:22) of “those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor 15:23).
* [15:27b–28] The one who subjected everything to him: the Father is the ultimate agent in the drama, and the final end of the process, to whom the Son and everything else is ordered (24, 28). That God may be all in all: his reign is a dynamic exercise of creative power, an outpouring of life and energy through the universe, with no further resistance. This is the supremely positive meaning of “subjection”: that God may fully be God. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew describes the Judgement of the Nations.
* [25:31–46] The conclusion of the discourse, which is peculiar to Matthew, portrays the final judgment that will accompany the parousia. Although often called a “parable,” it is not really such, for the only parabolic elements are the depiction of the Son of Man as a shepherd and of the righteous and the wicked as sheep and goats respectively (Mt 25:32–33). The criterion of judgment will be the deeds of mercy that have been done for the least of Jesus’ brothers (Mt 25:40). A difficult and important question is the identification of these least brothers. Are they all people who have suffered hunger, thirst, etc. (Mt 25:35, 36) or a particular group of such sufferers? Scholars are divided in their response and arguments can be made for either side. But leaving aside the problem of what the traditional material that Matthew edited may have meant, it seems that a stronger case can be made for the view that in the evangelist’s sense the sufferers are Christians, probably Christian missionaries whose sufferings were brought upon them by their preaching of the gospel. The criterion of judgment for all the nations is their treatment of those who have borne to the world the message of Jesus, and this means ultimately their acceptance or rejection of Jesus himself; cf. Mt 10:40, “Whoever receives you, receives me.” See note on Mt 16:27.
* [25:32] All the nations: before the end the gospel will have been preached throughout the world (Mt 24:14); thus the Gentiles will be judged on their response to it. But the phrase all the nations includes the Jews also, for at the judgment “the Son of Man…will repay everyone according to his conduct” (Mt 16:27).
* [25:37–40] The righteous will be astonished that in caring for the needs of the sufferers they were ministering to the Lord himself. One of these least brothers of mine: cf. Mt 10:42.
* [25:41] Fire prepared…his angels: cf. 1 Enoch 10:13 where it is said of the evil angels and Semyaza, their leader, “In those days they will lead them into the bottom of the fire—and in torment—in the prison (where) they will be locked up forever.”
* [25:44–45] The accursed (Mt 25:41) will be likewise astonished that their neglect of the sufferers was neglect of the Lord and will receive from him a similar answer. (Matthew, CHAPTER 25, n.d.)
Eileen Burke-Sullivan comments that the meditation on the Call of the King is a prayer exercise that falls between the first and second weeks of the Spiritual Exercises the Spiritual Exercises that Ignatius experienced and gave to the Church. The Exercises describe a series of graces that are given by God as the one praying through them is open to the graces. After discovering and rejecting the patterns of sin attendant on one’s story, God may grant each of us the grace to become a companion with Jesus in his mission. This is the call of Baptismal surrender. To become a companion of (or bread breaker with) the Lord of heaven and earth.
Today is the day to hear his invitation in the state of the world, as well as in the gifts He has given each of us. The invitation is ever to be part of His mighty work of bringing all humanity to freedom, peace, delight and companionship at the banquet of God’s glory and all of creation to its fullest purpose.
I want to hear that call this late November day and I want all persons to hear that call and respond with a thrilling shout of yes. Will you join in the throng going to the Mountain of the Lord by fully accepting the call of the King (Burke, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Gathering and Separating,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church.
"And he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." So then, people on earth are intermingled, and not only intermingled in that the righteous live side by side with the wicked, but they are also indistinguishable. Between the righteous and the wicked there is no apparent difference. Even as in wintertime you cannot tell the healthy trees apart from the withered trees but in beautiful springtime you can tell the difference, so too each person according to his faith and his works will be exposed. The wicked will not have any leaves or show any fruit, but the righteous will be clothed with the leaves of eternal life and adorned with the fruit of glory. In this way they will be separated by the heavenly shepherd and Lord. The earthly shepherd separates animals by their type of body, whereas Christ separates people by their type of soul. The sheep signify righteous people by reason of their gentleness, because they harm no one, and by reason of their patience, because when they are harmed by others, they bear it without resistance. He refers to sinners as goats, however, because these vices characterize goats - capriciousness toward other animals, pride and belligerence." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 54, the Greek fathers). (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 comments that unlike an earthly king, Jesus did not engage his enemies with armaments of war. No, he defeated them by dying on a cross. Through his death and resurrection, he saved not just Israel but all who believe in him (1 Corinthians 15:22). Out of his great love for each one of us, Jesus offered himself up, disarming the devil and draining sin of its power. Now we are forgiven, redeemed, and given the grace to love and forgive others as he has done for us. And though we still see evil in the world, we know that Jesus will destroy “every sovereignty and every authority and power” when he comes again (15:24).
Today at Mass, let’s recommit ourselves to living under the reign of this great King. Let’s tell him that we are ready to join him in rescuing his creation from the powers of darkness. Our King has already shown us how to do this: by offering ourselves in love to one another. Because without a doubt, love is the most powerful force in the universe!
“Jesus, King of kings, reign in my heart today and always.” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the message of Ezekiel that the leaders appointed by God for the people did not take care of them. Psalm 23 is also dated to this time, with an attribution to David, and it describes the Good Shepherd. Paul is dealing with Greek philosophy that cannot imagine a bodily resurrection when the soul is freed from the body. Friar Jude comments on the nature of sheep and goats as animals who can be contrasted in the way they care for other creatures.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers union with God as something that has already taken place, whether we experience it or not. This week we focus on people who call us to act out of loving union with God for the sake of others.
Believe it or not, we’re not here to save our souls. That’s already been done once and for all—in Christ, through Christ, with Christ, and as Christ (see Ephesians 1:3–14). By God’s love, mercy, and grace, we are already the Body of Christ: the one universal body that has existed since the beginning of time. You and I are here for just a few decades, dancing on the stage of life, perhaps taking our autonomous selves far too seriously. That little and clearly imperfect self just cannot believe it could be a child of God. I hope the gospel frees us to live inside of a life that is larger than the one our small selves have imagined. The larger life of the Body of Christ cannot be taken from us. It is the very life of God which cannot be destroyed. [2]
As Thomas Merton wrote in his journal, “We are already one. But we imagine that we are not. And what we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are.” [3] (Rohr, 2023)
We recognize Christ as a King with whom we all participate in the Body of Christ seeking direction from the Spirit to act as the Gospel describes the people blessed by the Father.
References
Burke, E. (2023, November 26). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112623.html
Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/34?11
Matthew, CHAPTER 25. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25?31
Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/11/26/837134/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15?20
Psalms, PSALM 23. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23?1
Rohr, R. (2023, June 16). The Prophetic Path: Motivated by Love. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-prophetic-path-motivated-by-love/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Come.. Inherit the Kingdom Prepared for You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=nov26
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