Readings:
Ezekiel 34:1-11
Matthew 20:1-16
Reflection:
Take a moment to reflect on our current situation, locally, nationally, globally and within our church. Then ask yourself the question as to why the world is in the predicament it’s in. I believe its because we lack authentic leadership and shepherding which is grounded in service of others.
Ezekiel gets to the core of the issue, that is, the problem behind our problems is the absence of true shepherds.
Ezekiel indicts Israel’s leaders for failing to shepherd the nation. He uses the metaphor to illustrate how Israel’s leaders (shepherds) oppressed the people (flock) within God’s kingdom.
The shepherds looked only to their own interests by clothing and feeding themselves at the expense of the needs of the of the people. Instead of strengthening and healing the sheep in their time of need, or pursuing them when lost, the shepherds have fiercely dominated them. This left the sheep vulnerable to wild beasts (hostile nations) and scattered them throughout the world. Therefore, God promises to save the sheep from the “mouths” of the shepherds (Israel’s rulers), search and care for his sheep, and bring them back from where they were scattered. He will lead them back to their own land, feed them, and have them lie down in safety in good grazing ground. (Psalm 23)
Ezekiel is explicit in pointing out that these “shepherds” have totally failed in their responsibilities. Instead of feeding their sheep they have been fattening themselves. They have neglected the sick, the injured, the lost. Their rule has not been kind but harsh.
He is also explicit in pointing out what the responsibilities of a shepherd should be, that is to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injuries, bring back the straying and seek the lost. Furthermore, a shepherd is not to rule with harshness or force.
Applied to our own time, this criticism of Israel’s leaders has a word for those who hold public or pastoral office. By telling what these leaders have failed to do in Ezekiel’s time, they give a picture off what public officials ought to be doing.
The third verse of Bob Dylan’s song, “For the Times They Are A-Changin,” effectively captures the essence of the first part of today’s text:
Come senators, congressmen (Church people)
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall…
There’s a battle outside
And it is a ragin’
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a changin’.
Put succinctly, Ezekiel the pastor to those in exile says to the political leaders of his time, “You shepherds have fed yourselves and have not fed my sheep.” These leaders ought to be caring for the sheep, not exploiting them and fattening their own lives. In these times that are a-changing, both world and church need politicians, leaders and pastors who will care for their people responsibly.
And now for the good news (Ezekiel 34:11 continues). The people’s leaders have failed but there is a search and rescue operation going on. Everyone knows the story of the good shepherd who went in search of the one sheep that was lost. Now, says Ezekiel, just such an operation is going on.
The Lord, the Good Shepherd, has not forsaken those who are scattered in the gloom and darkness of exile, but is searching them out. That God will rescue them and bring them home. That God will make them to lie down in green pastures and will be their caring Shepherd
In our time, as in Ezekiel’s et al, the special responsibility for those in positions of public responsibility is care for the powerless (Bob Dylan’s song).
Ezekiel 34 heeds two messages for us.
Firstly, verses 1-10 remind all who hold positions of leadership in public or church life of their responsibilities. They will want to look at the mirror in Ezekiel 34:1-10 and see whether they recognize their own image there.
Secondly, we are sheep and the Lord is our shepherd! Psalm 23 tells us about that. It makes a great deal of difference, when we are lost (in the night of despair or depression,) to know that there is a search operation going on! John’s gospel tells us that we have a Good Shepherd who is roaming the world searching for the lost — none other than Jesus Christ (John 10).
Michael Schiano has been a member of St. Brigid’s parish since 1990. As a parish member he has served on the Parish Pastoral Council, Liturgy Committee, Bereavement Team and is a member of the Passionist Companions. He has been an educator in the Archdiocese and has held positions in middle management and executive leadership positions. He currently works in Aged Care in the roles of Pastoral Care Co-Ordinator and Chaplaincy at Brigidine House, Randwick; St. Anne’s Hunters Hill; Pastoral Care Officer at Calvary Ryde.