Care for All His Sheep

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider the care that the Good Shepherd offers to all people.

In the Care of the Good Shepherd

In the reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah God’s People Are Comforted.

* [40:1] The “voices” of vv. 3, 6 are members of the heavenly court addressing the prophet; then v. 1 can be understood as the Lord addressing them. It is also possible to translate, with the Vulgate, “Comfort, give comfort, O my people” (i.e., the exiles are called to comfort Jerusalem). The juxtaposition of “my people” and “your God” recalls the covenant formulary.

* [40:2] Service: servitude (cf. Jb 7:1) and exile.

* [40:3–5] A description of the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem (Zion). The language used here figuratively describes the way the exiles will take. The Lord leads them, so their way lies straight across the wilderness rather than along the well-watered routes usually followed from Mesopotamia to Israel. Mt 3:3 and gospel parallels adapt these verses to the witness of John the Baptizer to Jesus.

* [40:9] Herald of good news: i.e., of the imminent restoration of the people to their land. This theme of the proclamation of the good news occurs elsewhere in Second Isaiah; cf. also 41:27; 52:7. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 40, n.d.)

Psalm 96 offers praise to God Who Comes in Judgement.

* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents the Parable of the Lost Sheep.

* [18:10–14] The first and last verses are peculiar to Matthew. The parable itself comes from Q; see Lk 15:3–7. In Luke it serves as justification for Jesus’ table-companionship with sinners; here, it is an exhortation for the disciples to seek out fellow disciples who have gone astray. Not only must no one cause a fellow disciple to sin, but those who have strayed must be sought out and, if possible, brought back to the community. The joy of the shepherd on finding the sheep, though not absent in Mt 18:13 is more emphasized in Luke. By his addition of Mt 18:10, 14 Matthew has drawn out explicitly the application of the parable to the care of the little ones.

* [18:11] Some manuscripts add, “For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost”; cf. Mt 9:13. This is practically identical with Lk 19:10 and is probably a copyist’s addition from that source. (Matthew, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

Thomas Lenz comments that there are many moments throughout my day and week when it seems easy for me to recognize God’s presence – hearing my grandchildren laugh, watching the sunrise, or staring at the stars. But this parable lets me know that God makes a special point to personally engage with me when things are not well.

God doesn’t appear to be sitting on the sidelines, watching us go through the motions of life. God seems to be actively engaged in connecting with us even more so than us to God. In this parable, Jesus is telling us something important about who God is. God longs to “know” us just as much as (and probably more so than) we long to know God. This brings me comfort and joy during this Advent season, and it appears to bring comfort and joy to God, too. (Lenz, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “A small seed produces a great tree,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Do you see in how many ways he leads us to care for our worthless brothers? Don't therefore say, 'The fellow's a smith, a cobbler, a farmer; he's stupid,' so that you despise him. In case you suffer the same, see in how many ways the Lord urges you to be moderate and enjoins you to care for these little ones. He placed a little child in the midst and said, 'Become like children,, and, 'Whoever receives one such child, receives me.' But 'whoever causes one of these to sin' will suffer the worst fate. And he was not even satisfied with the example of the millstone, but he also added his curse and told us to cut off such people, even though they are like a hand or eye to us. And again, through the angels to whom these small brothers are handed over, he urges that we value them, as he has valued them through his own will and passion. When Jesus says, 'The Son of man came to save the lost (Luke 19:10),' he points to the cross, just as Paul also says, writing about his brother for whom Christ died (Romans 14:15). It does not please the Father that anyone is lost. The shepherd leaves the ones that have been saved and seeks the one lost. And when he finds the one that has gone astray, he rejoices greatly at its discovery and at its safety." (excerpt from the THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 59.4) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:12-14 invites us to think about the parable that Jesus shares: a prudent shepherd might write off one wandering sheep and choose to focus on the ninety-nine that he has left. But God—our heavenly Shepherd—is always searching diligently for the one who has gone astray. It is not his will “that one of these little ones be lost” (Matthew 18:14).

That means that no matter how long you may have to wait for your precious “lost lamb” or “little one” to return, you can keep trusting that the Father hasn’t given up on them. Just as he never abandons us on our journey to our eternal home with him, the divine shepherd never writes off a single straying sheep. He remains vigilant, always alert for the slightest good intention or honest question that can provide an opening for his grace to break through.

So take heart! The story isn’t over, and the Shepherd is tirelessly at work. You can count on his unfailing love for you and for everyone you hold dear.

“Lord, you know how I long to see my loved ones draw closer to you. Help me to trust you more.” (Meditation on Matthew 18:12-14, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes the passage from Isaiah is from Deutero-Isaiah, written during the Exile in Babylon. A Second Exodus is described and the time of punishment has ended as the people will be led by God as Shepherd. Friar Jude notes the attention of Christ to the “squeaky wheel” as He acts in love on the Cross for the return of those who need Him most.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explores how we often create God in our image, rather than the other way around. 

Normally we find it very difficult to let God be greater than our culture, our immediate needs, and our projections. The human ego wants to keep things firmly in its grasp; so, we’ve created a God who fits into our small systems and our understanding of God. Thus, we’ve produced a God who requires expensive churches and robes, a God who likes to go to war just as much as we do, and a domineering God because we like to dominate. We’ve almost completely forgotten and ignored what Jesus revealed about the nature of the God he knew. If Jesus is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) then God is nothing like we expected. Jesus is in no sense a potentate or a patriarch, but the very opposite, one whom John the Baptist calls “the lamb of God” (John 1:29). We seem to prefer a lion. (Rohr, n.d.)

 

We ponder the faithfulness of God to attend to the needs of all people as we consider the love of the Good Shepherd.

References

Isaiah, CHAPTER 40. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/40?1 

Lenz, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from  https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121024.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18?12  

Meditation on Matthew 18:12-14. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/12/10/1148872/ 

Psalms, PSALM 96. (n.d.). USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Letting God Be God. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/letting-god-be-god/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). God Carries Us in His Bosom. Daily Scripture net. https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=dec10 

The fruit of our lives

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine how the environment  in which we live impacts our trust in God and our actions to address the needs of others.

Fruit of our lives

The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah presents True Wisdom.

They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream:1

 

Psalm 1 describes the Two Ways.

* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.2

 

The Gospel of Luke is the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

* [16:19–31] The parable of the rich man and Lazarus again illustrates Luke’s concern with Jesus’ attitude toward the rich and the poor. The reversal of the fates of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:22–23) illustrates the teachings of Jesus in Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” (Lk 6:20–21, 24–25).3

 

Mirielle Mason comments that while it may be clear that the rich man should have helped financially or perhaps brought Lazarus to a doctor, it is oftentimes less clear how we are supposed to provide assistance to others. The first step is identifying a situation in which our actions could have an impact.

Therefore, I believe a lot can be gained by examining what gifts we have been given. What have we been blessed with in our lives? Can we share that with others? What are we being called on to give? I am reminded of the widow in Mark 12:41-44 who gives only two small copper coins to the temple. Jesus teaches that the widow gave more that day than the rich, in order to prove the power of giving, and how it looks different for everyone.4

 

Don Schwager quotes “Creator of both rich and poor,” by Augustine of Hippo, 3540-430 A.D.

"God made both the rich and the poor. So the rich and the poor are born alike. You meet one another as you walk on the way together. Do not oppress or defraud anyone. One may be needy and another may have plenty. But the Lord is the maker of them both. Through the person who has, He helps the one who needs - and through the person who does not have, He tests the one who has." (excerpt from Sermon 35, 7)5

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Jeremiah 17:5-10 asks how do we stretch our roots to the Lord when we feel dry and thirsty? As difficult as it can sometimes be in those times, we need to keep looking to the Lord and seeking his grace in regular daily prayer, in the Scriptures, and in the sacraments. Though the Lord might seem to be far away, in truth he is very near to us; we just can’t sense him at that moment.

Jeremiah’s wisdom reminds us that we are indeed blessed if we trust in the Lord and place all our hope in him. That hope will never disappoint, for the dryness and spiritual drought that we may feel will last only for a time. We know that we can count on the goodness and faithfulness of our God. He will strengthen our faith during the drought and give us great joy when he sends us his life-giving water once again. “Lord, water our ‘roots’ with the life-giving water of your Spirit so that we might draw closer to you.”6

 

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the tree by the water in Jeremiah calls us to trust in God as human motivations can be self serving. In the Gospel, Lazarus is named but the name of the rich man is not mentioned. Friar Jude reminds us that our call to charity is a theme for Lent.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Christena Cleveland. Her research of Black Madonnas was not simply an intellectual project; it changed her entire perspective of God and how God loves the world.

Within seconds of viewing photos of the Black Madonnas, my gut shifted from terror to hope. Before I even read a word about the Black Madonna, my soul immediately recognized that these photos and drawings of ancient Black Madonnas declared a truth about my own sacredness and gave birth to a new understanding of God. I call Her the Sacred Black Feminine. She is the God who is with and for Black women because She is a Black woman. She is the God who definitively declares that Black women—who exist below Black men and white women at the bottom of the white male God’s social pecking order—not only matter but are sacred. And in doing so, She declares that all living beings are sacred.7

 

We seek to be open to the Spirit leading us to see, love, and care for people outside our comfortable pew.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Jeremiah, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/17
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1
3	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031722.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=mar17
6	(n.d.). Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/03/17/331015/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://cac.org/the-power-of-the-black-madonna-2022-03-17/

 

Persecution and Service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate our response to situations in which we have felt persecuted or treated unjustly.

Persecuted

The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah introduces a plot against Jeremiah.

Remember that I stood before you to speak on their behalf,1

 

Psalm 31 is a prayer and praise for deliverance from enemies.

* [Psalm 31] A lament (Ps 31:2–19) with a strong emphasis on trust (Ps 31:4, 6, 15–16), ending with an anticipatory thanksgiving (Ps 31:20–24). As is usual in laments, the affliction is couched in general terms. The psalmist feels overwhelmed by evil people but trusts in the “God of truth” (Ps 31:6).2

 

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus foretells His Death and Resurrection, a third time and handles the request of the mother of James and John.

* [20:17–19] Cf. Mk 10:32–34. This is the third and the most detailed of the passion predictions (Mt 16:21–23; 17:22–23). It speaks of Jesus’ being handed over to the Gentiles (Mt 27:2), his being mocked (Mt 27:27–30), scourged (Mt 27:26), and crucified (Mt 27:31, 35). In all but the last of these points Matthew agrees with his Marcan source, but whereas Mark speaks of Jesus’ being killed (Mk 10:34), Matthew has the specific to be…crucified. * [20:20–28] Cf. Mk 10:35–45. The request of the sons of Zebedee, made through their mother, for the highest places of honor in the kingdom, and the indignation of the other ten disciples at this request, show that neither the two brothers nor the others have understood that what makes for greatness in the kingdom is not lordly power but humble service. Jesus gives the example, and his ministry of service will reach its highest point when he gives his life for the deliverance of the human race from sin.3

 

Cindy Costanzo, after reflecting on Matthew's scripture, commits to a plan.

Listen attentively and clarify for deeper understanding. Listen with care and love which should involve my ears (focused only on you); my eyes (engaged with yours), and my body (which should lean in toward you).  

Embrace humility and recognize when my pride and ego are at the center. Recognize the gifts and light of others who interact with me and let their light shine brightly.

Pray for others …be specific, I will carry their names with me and throughout the day say a prayer of special intention for that person.  

Take action ….when the holy spirit whispers in my ear to do something “Just Do It.” Don’t hesitate.  4

 

Don Schwager quotes “Do you wish to be great?” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Do you wish to be great? Then begin from what is slightest. Do you plan to construct a high and mighty building? Then think first about the foundation of humility. When people plan to erect a lofty and large building, they make the foundations all the deeper. But those who lay the foundation are forced to descend into the depths." (excerpt from Sermon 69, 2)5

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16 comments that, today, God’s word invites us to imitate Jeremiah. We can start with an honest prayer—“God, this feels really unfair” or “Lord, I don’t see any way out of this mess.” We can follow up with a simple declaration: “You are my God” (Psalm 31:15). As we offer this prayer, we can invite God to help us see the situation through his eyes so that we can surrender the outcome to him. We may not be delivered immediately, but as we surrender our lives and our circumstances to the Lord, we are reminding ourselves—and those around us—that God is indeed worthy of trust.

God is more than able to help you through any challenge that comes your way. You can always trust that, in his own way, he will bring about the healing, the deliverance, the wisdom, or the redemption that you most need. So try your best to look beyond the difficult circumstance you or a loved one is facing. Fix your eyes on the Lord. He is faithful and the source of all our hope. “Lord, like the psalmist, I proclaim, ‘You are my God.’ Help me to trust in you always.”6

 

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the betrayal felt by Jeremiah who was telling a difficult truth to the people. Our persecution and suffering when working to accomplish good is an opportunity to purify our actions from self aggrandizement. Friar Jude reminds us that discipleship includes our willingness to give of ourselves in service.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes that our images of God become more fluid as we grow in spiritual maturity. It’s almost tragic to witness how many people are afraid of God, experience God as cold and absent, and even have a sense of God as someone who might hurt and betray them. These ideas about God reveal far more about the state of our parent symbols than they do about our Trinitarian God.

We truly have nothing to be afraid of. The Trinitarian flow of God’s love is like the rise and fall of tides on a shore. In a Trinitarian Universe, reality can be pictured as an Infinite, Loving Outpouring that empowers and generates an Eternal, Loving Infolding. This eternal flow outward is echoed in history by every animal, fish, flower, bird, and planet you have ever seen. It is the universe: the first incarnation of God. All we have to lose are the false images of God that do not serve us and are too small. The foundational good news is that all of creation and all of humanity have been drawn into this loving flow (no exceptions)! We are not outsiders or spectators but inherently part of the divine dance. Such good theology was supposed to create good politics and history. We still have hope.7

 

We ponder our path when persecution or praise accompany our action and trust the Spirit to affirm our choice to be disciples of Jesus.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Jeremiah, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/18
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 31 | USCCB. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/31
3	(n.d.). Matthew, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/20
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031622.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=mar16
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/03/16/330547/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://cac.org/the-circle-dance-of-god-2022-03-16/