In the scripture readings this weekend, we read of several instances of shepherds.
In the first reading, Jeremiah criticized the shepherds of Israel—the kings and priests who were misleading the people. Instead of shepherding God’s people according to God’s law, these wicked shepherds were misleading and exploiting God’s people for their personal profit. Bad shepherds!
And in the Gospel, St. Mark describes the crowd as sheep without a shepherd. So Jesus begins to teach them. If we were to continue reading from St. Mark, we would read how the good shepherd then feeds the flock through a miracle of multiplying loaves of bread and fish.
God is a shepherd. Jesus in the Gospels even describes himself as the good shepherd. Our leaders are shepherds—they might be good shepherds, they might be bad shepherds. And we are shepherds. Every Christian is a shepherd, we are to shepherd souls to God. We are to feed, teach, gather, and protect those in our care and those wandering through dark valleys. The question is: will you, personally, be a good shepherd or bad shepherds. Will you lead people to God or abandon them to sin and error. May God help us to be good shepherds.
One of the great shepherds of my life was my grandfather, my mother’s father—Joe DeRubertis. Grandpa DeRubertis was a shepherd in many ways. He was such a leader of our family life and teacher of our history and culture and practical knowledge. So often we would be gathered at his table and sheltered under his roof.
My grandfather was one of four children of Italian immigrants. He was born here in Cleveland after his parents—Carmella and Luigi—come over from Campobasso through Ellis Island. His father, my great grandfather DeRubertis, built houses, and eventually saved up enough money to buy a farm out in Madison. And so my grandfather inherited that strong work ethic and practical skills of building and farming that he passed on to his family. Grandpa was very proud of his Italian heritage—and so there was always pasta, and homemade sausage, and homemade sauce, and wine and cheese, and music and certainly passed on his…appreciation of these fine things to us. And having served in the United States Army during World War II, he also passed on a deep love of country and civic responsibility. He’s probably why I get so teary-eyed on the civil holidays and can can’t sing our patriotic songs without getting choked-up.
And grandpa was also a man of devout faith. I’ve shared before how he and grandma would go out of their way to pick me up and bring me to mass every Sunday morning. This weekend’s psalm was also very near and dear to my grandfather’s heart. He commissioned a calligrapher to write out the 23rd Psalm in beautiful calligraphy and he gave out dozens of copies of the work to friends and family, one of which hangs in my quarters over in the rectory.
He really was one of the great shepherds—like the divine shepherd described in the psalm. Grandpa sheltered us, fed us, taught us, he gathered us. He’s no doubt one of the reasons why I’m a priest today—trying my best to shepherd you all.
Grandpa’s been gone for 10 years now, and it’s sad to see how the family has scattered some—the absence of the shepherd has led to everybody going their own ways. But that is one reason why our faith is so important. Whether you had a strong family life or a weak or broken one, faith is so importance, because we are all members of a very scattered humanity. Especially these days, as the social fabric has deteriorated, next door neighbors might not have much to do with each other. The Good shepherd gathers his people—gathers all of us no patter our past—to be a people marked by faith and divine worship and love of Him and neighbor.
And this is one reason why the Good Shepherd has commanded his people to gather every week for Church, no matter what. It’s a divine commandment to keep holy the Lord’s Day. It’s a not a suggestion. The Lord doesn’t issue this command with a wink and a nod. Neither vacation nor sporting event, neither house guest nor family reunion, dispenses us from the shepherd’s law. Refusing to fulfill the Sunday obligation to come here to the shepherd’s house, to refuse that even once, is a serious sin that must be confessed in sacramental confession.
But again, why does the shepherd gather us? Well, to feed us, and teach us, and form us, and protect us, and lead us to the everlasting banquet. He wants us here because he longs for us. He longs for communion with us. He longs for us to become the people he made us to be. And that starts here. At the restful waters, he refreshes us from the weariness of living in this modern world. It’s here that he gives us divine protection from all the forces that assault us every day. He leads us away from idols and artificial substitutes which leave us empty and sad, and he feeds us with the Bread of life.
Speaking of being fed by the Lord, over the next five weeks, starting next Sunday, we are going to take a summer break from the Gospel of Mark in order to read from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John—the Lord’s feeding of the five thousand and his discourse on the Bread of Life.
But, today’s scripture readings—wet our appetite—they are a very good introduction to get us thinking about the Bread of Life. Particularly that 23rd Psalm. The Lord is at our side through the dark valleys in order to lead us to the banquet. He walks with us during the dark times, even in the sight of our foes, and leads us here—to the table. He leads us to the table where we can be refreshed and strengthened with food from heaven—the food which enables us to come to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In the Eucharist, Christ the Good Shepherd has made himself into the food for the journey that guards our souls from earthly trials unto eternal life.
This upcoming week, I invite you to try something. I want you to try to emorize the 23rd Psalm. You’ve memorized the hail mary, you’ve memorized the Our Father. Memorize this passage from scripture. It’s one of those passages that’s so good to be able to recall during those difficult moments of life. When you memorize scripture, you internalize it, it becomes part of you. And this psalm can give you a great confident in the shepherd’s closeness to you. Learning the words of “The Lord is my shepherd” will help you to better know the shepherd, and where exactly he’s leading you, and leading us.
Try it. For it will help you to become the shepherd God made you to be—for your family, for your neighbors, for your fellow parishioners—those who need you to be the shepherds God made you to be.
In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” And that’s an invitation—an invitation that he makes to each one of us, to withdraw from the noise of the world, and be refreshed. And going to a quiet place, with some scripture, like the 23rd psalm, and reflecting on it, even memorizing it, will bring you calm and peace, like nothing else.
The Lord desires every day to lead us to restful waters and to the table of life. May we follow where our shepherd leads us in all things and in every way for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
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