Word to the Wise
Sunday, July 21, 2024 - 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.......I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the Lord. [Jeremiah] The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. [Mark]
The image of the shepherd and sheep can be a very comforting one, especially as portrayed in the 23rd Psalm: "The Lord is my shepherd....." But the scriptures from the prophet Jeremiah and the Gospel According to Mark today call attention to some of the challenges faced by those who are called to be "shepherds" of the Lord's flock. Although the shepherd in the post-Vatican II church may well be a bishop, priest or layperson, the challenges are the same: power and service.
Jeremiah (and Ezekiel and Jesus) thunders against shepherds who fail to be real shepherds and let the flock scatter or be destroyed. In the gospels, Jesus severely criticizes the religious leadership for their exploitation of their positions while making the lives of the ordinary faithful difficult. Pope Francis has consistently condemned "clericalism" as a problem. It is, indeed, one of the occupational hazards of being a bishop or priest. Status and power are easily abused.
On the other hand, having preached many retreats for Catholic clergy, I can testify that the picture in today's gospel is an accurate one. In many dioceses, especially in rural areas, priests are called to serve multiple parishes and the danger of "burn out" is real, with depression, alcoholism and other destructive behavior among the problems. Priests are required to make a yearly retreat, but, as the gospel today relates, I know many of them bring the job with them to the retreat and cellphones come out at every break. Funerals seem to be a common reason for priests to leave a retreat. The image of the people running around the lakeshore to get to the "deserted place" before the disciples is funny but very true. Even the dead seem to join the crowd! Getting clergy to take care of themselves in a healthy way is a major problem for bishops and religious superiors.
The dangers of power and overwork are challenges to our Church on every level. Perhaps the "path of synodality" that Pope Francis is proposing will yield some insight into how God's flock will be pastured and cared for. Maybe the flock should take better care of the shepherd, too! AMEN