Ezekiel 34:11-16 Romans 5:5b-11 Luke 15:3-7

The artistic image of the human heart as each person’s source and repository of love is ancient. Interestingly, in some ancient cultures, the heart was also the source and repository of the mind. Remember the phrase, “to learn by heart”? It seems that love and thoughtfulness are most intimately connected. In the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus such is clearly the case. In the Christian imagination, Jesus is the personification of love and mercy on the one hand, and on the other, of thoughtfulness, reasonableness and prophetic encouragement. Unlike Jesus, we who are merely human tend to operate as if one can be in one or the other mode (i.e., loving or critical), but not both at the same time. In the example of Jesus as Christ, the duality of loving thoughtfulness or thoughtful love is believable and practical, if not always easy or pleasant. What parent enjoys saying “no” to the children?! Yet, healthy love sometimes requires just such truthful guidance and direction. What friend enjoys confronting another friend or what spouse relishes unpleasant argument with one’s partner in marriage?! But friendship and marriage sometimes demand just such intense, tough presence and attentive engagements. Jesus raged at the Temple Money Changers (Mark 11 & Matt 21 & John 2), rebuked Peter (Mark 8 & Matthew 16), insulted the Syro-Phoenician Woman (Mark 7), and embarrassed the Samaritan Woman at the Well (unnamed in John 4, she’s known as St. Photine the Evangelist among Orthodox Christians). Jesus was clearly able to demonstrate a kind of tough love and to be a herald of harsh truth to friend and stranger alike. The image used today in the lessons from the Old Testament and the Gospel is that of shepherd. Modern believers have a romanticized image of shepherd because of both the biblical metaphor compounded by a great lack of familiarity with real sheep and sheep ranching. But, ever since the example of David (1^st Samuel 16), who as Jesse’s youngest son was chosen by God while tending his father’s flock and anointed by Samuel to become the second King of Israel, the role of shepherd has been the model and paradigm for effective and virtuous leadership, extending even to Jesus himself as “the good shepherd” in John’s Gospel (chapter 10).

The Ezekiel text was written in positive terms and composed sometimes after the defeat, destruction and enslavement of the Kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem by the Babylonian Emperor Nebuchadnezzar (conquered in 598 BC; destroyed ca. 587/6 BC; enslaved in Babylonian Captivity until 539 BC). Ezekiel announced hope for the captives: return home, healing and health to the injured, and sufficient providence for abundant life. The penultimate line is the only harsh note in the message: “the sleek and the strong I will destroy” in reference to the remarkably poor leadership of Judah and Jerusalem who had brought about the current disaster. God’s shepherding abilities would be the very opposite of those who had failed to secure peace for the kingdom. The sign of genuine love and goodness in leadership would be in demonstrating care, respect and security for God’s chosen people. Ezekiel spoke for God, “I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest ...” Note the intimacy and connectedness that God asserted to be necessary in the divine leadership, insinuating that such intimacy and connectedness had been missing and absent in Judah’s leadership, both among the princes and the temple priests. Shepherd is still our metaphor in the Church today although it is couched in more imperial terms. Today, practical shepherding must be described in 21^st Century terms, values and needs. Because today’s metaphorical sheep are rather educated human believers with considerable abilities, a tremendous amount of wisdom, truth, critical thought, insight, effort, patience, persuasion, responsibility, accountability and connectedness are required and expected among all in leadership in the Church, whether pope, bishop, priest, deacon, religious or lay minister. Everyone who gathers in the sacred assembly, hears the Word, and prays the Sacraments is obliged to engage life and the Gospel message as fully as one’s ability allows. Gospel faith is not a spectator sport. In fact, it is a contact sport. One can be injured by engaging the Gospel effectively.

Today’s Lucan Gospel message uses the shepherd metaphor. One can argue that John 10 described a more vigorous and muscular shepherd for the sake of today’s theme, but we have Luke’s parable of the seeking shepherd who actively pursued the lost. In fact, to watch the higher levels of today’s Church, given its large scale, such practical outreach is obscured and sometimes seems to be of low priority. But fortunately, the proactive witness of many of the quiet and effective parochial believers seeks, invites and leads many others to the experience of new life in the Gospel fellowship. This shepherd-like steering and saving is constituted not so much by snatching the needy from condemnation as it is assisting each other to appreciate the profound goodness of God’s grace in the here and now that they might “have life and have it more abundantly”! Also in today’s text, is the blunt super-valuation of genuine repentance and conversion of heart: more joy in heaven over one such than over 99 righteous! Why? Because real repentance always requires a re-think, a reconsideration of one’s life, and never-ceasing movement towards growth and change! The divine love behind such an everlasting crisis moment ought to be profound for us. You and I are among those who need to repent!

Paul’s text from Romans 5 is a theological reflection on the already-present nature of Christ’s salvation. Paul shifts metaphors by substituting the human heart and God’s love as images of the divine gift of union with God. In other words, Paul has realized that we can and ought to love because God has already loved us. When this insight is genuinely grasped and comprehended, then and only then do we truly appreciate the theological “reconciliation,” i.e., the renewed oneness with God from whom all life comes. We belong with God; we must allow God to draw us close in the divine embrace. Evidently, we resist very effectively. But, Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross was meant to be a sign of how great was the love he had for God and for us, so as to make us wonder about our own love. Do we love? Do we love like Christ loved? Do we appreciate genuine divine love for us?

Today’s feast is perhaps a psychological and spiritual balance to the image of Jesus Christ as Pantocrator (ruler of all things) or Emperor. Indeed, it is easier to love Jesus’ Sacred Heart than to feel affection for anyone on a heavenly imperial throne surrounded by hosts of angels and invisible powers. It is a balanced image of the adult, Risen Jesus Christ at which we aim in our theological reflection. The Christ Child grew up! The 12-year-old Jesus “found in the Temple” matured! Even the apparently human Jesus as wonder-worker, healer, feeder of thousands, preacher and teacher of his earthly ministry was wrapped in the Risen Jesus Christ, glorified and returned to God. One can argue against Paul’s attempt to “be all things to all” as an ancient over-simplification at best and a modern impossibility at worst. But, the Risen Jesus’ Gospel message is and must engage everything entailed in life for the Christian believer. The Gospel of love surrounds the conscientious and reflective believer! No love, no faith! With love, much faith!