In the readings for this Sunday, Nov. 26, we celebrate our King, Jesus, as a shepherd. We’re reminded that, although God could do anything, he chose to become lowly for our sake.
The first reading, Ezekiel speaks for God who shows himself as a shepherd who will bring justice, rest, nourishment, healing, and salvation to those who were lost on cloudy and dark days. God makes a distinction between the sheep who need these things and those who have already had all of them, but didn’t share with the needy ones. The well-fed sheep will be separated from the poor ones, and be considered goats instead. They will not be under God’s protection. God calls that, “shepherding rightly.” God calls that justice.
The second reading illustrates how God’s perfect authority chooses vulnerability. God is the master of all, but in Jesus, allows himself to be subject to his creation. It’s through that humble giving that Jesus conquers all of God’s enemies—death being the last of them. By dying and rising, Jesus conquered death. If we live as people of hope, his Resurrection (and ours) makes death ultimately powerless.
In the Gospel, Jesus shares with us the recipe for salvation. We’re called to become like the shepherd in the first reading; to bring healing and justice to those who were unable to get it for themselves. Jesus tells us clearly that when we perform a corporal work of mercy for any human being, it’s credited as having done it directly to him. On the other hand, when we choose not to offer that mercy to any human being, God considers it ignoring Jesus right in front of our faces. We’re members of his flock only when we reach out to the poor and vulnerable. When we ignore suffering, we make ourselves goats; unclean, and unfit for heaven.
If today we celebrate Jesus’ kingship, and God’s perfect authority over creation, why do you think the readings focus on God as a shepherd? Do you believe Jesus when he says that ignoring any suffering person is ignoring him? If so, how well do you live the corporal works of mercy? Are there any ways that you need to become more responsive?
What do you think it would be like to be a shepherd? What do you think it would be like to be a king or queen?
How do you feel about being called a sheep? What is different between our sheep-ness as Christians from the cultural understanding of being sheep who are mindless followers?
Jesus’ way to teach us how to be people who use authority correctly was to make himself subject to the things that he created–even God’s last enemy–death. What can we, as authority figures for our children and in our communities, apply from his example? What does being a good leader have to do with being a good shepherd?
How can your family live the Corporal Works of Mercy this week?