July 19, 2009, 16th Sunday in OT. B.

This week’s readings are centered in the theme of “shepherds” and “shepherding.” The prophet Ezekiel lived about 600 years before Jesus, at the time of the Babylonian Exile. He saw much of the nation carted off into slavery. He was contemptuous of the kings and court counselors whose policies had resulted in this debacle. Those are the “shepherds” about whom he is speaking. Jesus, on the other hand, lived in a time of the occupation of the nation by the Roman army. The figurehead government was composed of the High Priest and his counselors, so it is of this group that Jesus speaks, but both he and Ezekiel are speaking of poor political choices, they are not speaking of improper priestly attention to people. So, what are we to learn? Maybe we should think of the role of politicians as old-fashioned “role models” for us and our children. We should be encouraging the finest standards of citizenship from them, not the worst. It is often, though, that they let us down, simply because no one is perfect. Yet, let’s encourage a moral striving among them, and among all public figures. We need role models. And let’s try to be role models. ourselves! Peace!