16th Sunday in OT---Sheep without a Shepherd (Glenmary Appeal in Miami)

Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.

I grew up working on a friend’s pig farm back in Minnesota during high school and college.  Believe me, it was a smelly way to earn some money.  When asked why I decided to become a priest, I usually tell people it was because I smelled so bad, and could never find a date.  One summer the owners of the farm decided to get a flock of sheep.  None of us really knew much about sheep, but we were soon to learn. 

It did not take me long to figure out that when left to their own devices, sheep were not very smart.  They would walk out into the pond to drink some water and cool off.  Before they realized they had sunk into the mud become stuck, sometimes almost drowning.  They would then remain there for hours until one of the workers came and helped them out.   Even more, despite having an entire pen of long, green grass, they were insistent on eating the grass on the other side of the fence.  They would stick their head through the fence, trying to get the grass, and inevitably their horns would become stuck in the wire.  Finally, they could never figure out the right animal to follow.  They would always follow this horse around that was in the pen with them.  Yet, the horse hated it.  So when the sheep got to close the horse would kick and the sheep would get hit. 

It didn’t take us long to figure out that without a proper shepherd, sheep would inevitably find themselves in a lot of trouble.

In the gospel today, Jesus is having one of those days where he just needs to get away.  I am sure you all have experienced this too.  The, “If the kids ask for one more thing from me I am going to go crazy,” kind of days.  Well, it was one of these days for Jesus and his followers.  He even gets into a boat and sails away just to avoid the crowds.  It is to no avail, though, for when he arrives at the other side of the shore, the people are waiting for him.  Rather than get frustrated, he has pity on them.  He has pity on them.  For he sees that they are like sheep without a shepherd.  Sheep without a shepherd.  And he chooses to give them his life as their shepherd.

I think perhaps if we are honest with ourselves, we are a lot like sheep without a shepherd, too.

Without a shepherd, sometimes we wander too far out into the pond, and find ourselves stuck in the mud.  We tell ourselves that we will only look at this one website, and then we find ourselves stuck in the mud and muck of pornography and online sex.  We tell ourselves that we can survive just one hit or one sip, and before we know it the waters of addiction are creeping up over our shoulders, ready to envelop us.  We are like sheep without a shepherd.

Without a shepherd, sometimes we look for grass where we probably shouldn’t.  After having a fight with our spouse we turn to a coworker for comfort.  Soon, we find ourselves caught in a fence of infidelity.  We see a business practice that probably isn’t as honest as it should be.  Soon, we find our character locked in a fence of lies.  We are like sheep without a shepherd.

Without a shepherd, sometimes we follow the wrong leader.  We follow the leader of pluralism and find that when every idea has an equal truth value, then no idea has a truth value.  And we are kicked in the side by falsity and lies.  Sometimes, we follow only ourselves and what we have determined to be right or correct.  Then we look around and we have been separated from the entire flock.  We are like sheep without a shepherd.

I think that if we are honest each one of us has felt the effects of being a sheep without a shepherd.  We have all made mistakes.  We have all sinned.  I include myself in this group.  It is painful.  It is shameful.  It is sad.  But in the gospel message today there is hope. 

Jesus has pity on those who were like sheep without a shepherd.  He has pity on us.  All we must do is accept him as our shepherd. 

We can be led by him and confess the mistakes of our past and have them wiped away in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

We can be led by him and have our marriages renewed, our relationships renewed, our bodies renewed. 

We can be led by him and find the beginnings of new life, where freedom from addiction, pain and suffering is possible. 

We can be led by him, and silence the voices of falsity guiding our lives.  We can be led by him, and be guided by his voice of truth.

We can be led by him, the only shepherd that is both human and so understands our struggles, and divine, and so can free us from them. 

We can be led by him, the only shepherd who loved us so much that he was willing to die for us. 

We can be led by him.

But it is a choice we must make.  And thanks be to God we have the freedom to make that choice.

I belong to a religious community called the Glenmary Home Missioners.  In the 1930s, our founder looked upon regions in the south and south east of the United States, along with Appalachia, and saw that these people were like sheep without a shepherd.  Hundreds of counties throughout this area had no Catholic presence:  people would have to drive hours just to receive the sacraments of the church.  Thus most would go without.  These people were like sheep without a shepherd, being in some of the most poor and neglected areas of the United States.  These people were like sheep without a shepherd, receiving poor education, few opportunities to grow, and little to no health care.  These people were like sheep without a shepherd, never receiving the chance to hear of the good shepherd who gives himself to us in the Eucharist.  Therefore, he founded Glenmary, and for nearly 75 years the community has worked tirelessly to bring the gifts of the Catholic Church to these areas.  To be shepherds for a people that would normally have gone without.

At the beginning of September I am going to begin my first assignment as associate pastor in Glenmary’s newest missions in Eastern Tennessee.  I am super excited for this opportunity.  Imagine, just a few short months ago, this mission was nothing but a few Catholics gathering at a parishioner’s house, and celebrating mass in this county for the first time ever.  Now, this mission has attracted hundreds of Catholics who gather for Mass every week in an abandoned store front.  And there is talk that soon an actual church will need to be built.  In just a few short months, hundreds of people have been given the chance to follow the good shepherd, Jesus Christ.  And hundreds more will likely follow after them.

We all struggle with moments in` life of being sheep without a shepherd.  It is painful.  It hurts not only us, but also others.  Jesus longs for us to follow him.  He only asks that we freely do so.  And we are blessed to have the opportunity to make that choice.  Yet vast areas still exist where people do not have the freedom to make that choice.  And so I close in humbly asking you to please consider offering your support to Glenmary that we could present the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, to so many thousands of people who have still yet to hear his voice and to follow him.  Support us with your prayers, consider a vocation, or if you are able, help us financially.  We are all like sheep without a shepherd.  Help is to bring this shepherd to thousands of people who are in need.

Peace and thank you.