Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Jeremiah 23,1-6; Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters…” (Psalm 23,1-2).

In the Old Testament, the endearing image of a shepherd is frequently used to depict God’s relationship with the people of Israel.  The psalmists and the prophets abundantly speak of God as a shepherd, highlighting how God guides, cares for, and protects the people of Israel. The leadership including kings, prophets, priests, judges, and other leaders among the people are also portrayed as shepherds of the people, modeled after God, the Good Shepherd.

Today’s first lesson, taken from the prophet Jeremiah, begins with a woe oracle addressed to the leadership, the shepherds of the people of Judah: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord!” (23,1). Jeremiah prophesied in the sixth century B.C, during the last days of the Kingdom of Judah when it was about to fall to the powerful forces of the Babylonian army.

In the preceding chapter (22) we read about Jeremiah directly prophesying to the house of the king of Judah and calling him and his officials to repent: “Act with justice and righteousness and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place” (22,3). Jeremiah’s words reveal that they had not fulfilled their role as shepherds of the people. On the contrary, they had exercised violence against the people, especially the most vulnerable among them.

Jeremiah also denounces the multiple abuses executed by Judah’s kings. Shallum, one of these kings, had built his palace using forced labor and ruthlessly oppressing the vulnerable: “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbors work for nothing and does not give them their wages… your eyes and heart are only on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood,  and for practicing oppression and violence” (22,13-17).

Woe to the leaders of our time who build their lives on unrighteousness! Woe to those who bask in abundance, surrounded by luxury and comfort while their people endure misery, poverty, sickness, and children die from the effects of malnutrition! Have these leaders not been called to serve and stand beside their people, and to seek their well-being? Woe to them!

Jeremiah prophesies about the imminent judgment that awaits the leaders of Judah who through their actions have brought about the dispersion of the people. The people have been left alone like sheep without a shepherd and abandoned to the Babylonian army.  However, even in the midst of this desolation, Jeremiah brings a message of hope. He announces that God, the Good Shepherd, will bring back the people of Judah and gather them as a flock. God will raise up shepherds to guide them on the right path. Jeremiah announces that a descendant of King David will emerge to execute justice and righteousness on earth.

The Kingdom of Judah finally succumbed to the Babylonian army, and the kings, their families, and the majority of the people were taken captive to Babylon. Jerusalem was burned and razed to the ground, and the temple and palace treasures were transported to Babylon. What a great tragedy was brought about by evil leadership!

Most of the people of Judah eventually returned to their land, but they never had a king again. Their leadership was shaped by political-religious figures of that time. However, the leadership that followed the exile failed in leading the people on good paths. The consequences of this poor leadership are evident in the Gospels’ accounts which tell us of the many people in need during that time.  Things had not changed much and suffering continued.

In today’s Gospel, we encounter a great multitude in desperate need, seeking help from Jesus. Mark tells us that while Jesus and his disciples were sailing by boat to a deserted place for some rest, many people recognized them and journeyed on foot to find them on the opposite shore. Thus, when Jesus arrives, a great crowd was waiting for him and there was no time for rest; however, Jesus did not feel upset that the crowd had interrupted his rest.  Instead, he was moved with compassion towards them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. In a time when the religious and political leaders showed little concern for these people who suffered from different diseases, hunger, social rejection, it was only Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who cared for them.  He fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy embodying the shepherd who never abandons his flock and attends to their needs.

Dear sisters and brothers, today, we only have to look around us to see so many people helpless like sheep without a shepherd. The government, social organizations, and even churches are failing in shepherding the vulnerable, Jesus’ little ones. As Jesus’ disciples, the Good Shepherds, aren’t we the ones called to shepherd those in need?

In our Diocese, we find ourselves at a critical moment when we need a compassionate, capable shepherd. This week, we are electing a new leader, a new shepherd. Let us pray that the new bishop may be blessed with a shepherd’s heart. May the voters be bestowed with wisdom and discernment to elect the new shepherd who will guide our pastoral service in Guatemala.

Amen.