Word to the Wise
Sunday, July 22, 2018 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Jer 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34]Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord. [Jeremiah] When [Jesus] disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. [Mark]
Pastoral leadership is no easy task. The images in Jeremiah (but cf. Ezekiel 34!) and the gospel today speak of herding sheep. In my pastoral experience it was often more like herding cats! A pastor once proudly showed me a new parish hall with a corridor lined with large lockers so that each parish organization or group had a place to put its "stuff." Every pastor who comes joyfully from his ordination ceremony soon learns that pastoral life is not just sacramental, but administrative with concerns about personnel, finances, facilities and programs, plus the endless demands from the diocesan office of this-that-and-the-other. From my own experience and that of the priests I have met over more than 25 years of preaching retreats, especially for diocesan clergy, the wise pastor is the one who knows how to spot talent and put it to work. Jeremiah speaks to the abuse of power by leaders and Jesus, today, speaks to the lack of any leadership at all!
Pastoral leadership from the Pope to the Pewperson is a matter of power and the responsible and sensitive use of that power. There are many "styles" of leadership and much depends on the gifts of the persons appointed to lead. If their power becomes a matter of personal security, there will be trouble ahead. If they are afraid of the power and refuse to make decisions, there will be trouble ahead. The image of shepherd and sheep has a certain limitation in that some pastors regard the parishioners a bit too literally as sheep and think that a shepherd doesn't consult sheep. Other pastors adopt a "whatever" posture that leaves people wondering and wandering.
Most parishes I visit for parish missions seem to be managing well because there is a kind of general "model" that gets passed around. But that is the work of the Holy Spirit and a great blessing. At the same time I hear parishioners say, "We're getting a lot of folks from the neighboring parish because......." Today's scriptures remind us of the great task of pastoral leadership and challenge all of us to ask how we can make the task more effective. Jesus will feed the crowd after noticing its lack of leadership. How can we help him? AMEN