COMPASSION AND EMPATHY: HALLMARKS OF CHRISTIAN LEADERS
Compassion and empathy are the most important characteristics that differentiate Jesus from the religious authorities of his time. One notable thing is that the people must have noticed the remarkable difference between Christ and other religious authorities in his time. Possibly, they have seen how he treats them with kindness, respect, and dignity and not with shame, imposition, and guilt like the Jewish religious authorities.
In all spheres of life, there is a leadership and authority crisis. Undeniably, there are gross irresponsibilities, abuses, negligences, and lawlessness on the part of religious, political, familial, societal, and educational leaders.
It was the reason for them hanging on to Christ. They became insensitive to Christ and his disciples needing to rest and regain their strength.
However, Christ is an empathetic and compassionate pastor who feels, senses, relates, and connects to the inner quest of the flock of God. A true and good shepherd and the pastor of souls saw the inner cries and silent tears for help and responded despite his tiredness.
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE AND CRISIS IN CHRISTIAN LIFE
The concept and the context of the word shepherd in the reflection of this Sunday is a leadership challenge. If an existential threat affects families, churches, and the world today. It is leadership qualities. It is an age-long problem that plagues the human race at all levels. Especially, families, nations, institutions, and groups like the Christian Church or community leadership.
The concept of the shepherd is not a reference to actual animals or real shepherds in the agricultural sense. It is a metaphor that refers to the political and religious leaders of the people of Israel. Hence, the context implies a fundamental lack of leadership in the political and religious spheres of the people of Israel.
A TRUE CHRISTIAN LEADER IS A SHEPHERD
A true shepherd is supposed to take care, feed, protect, and guide the sheep. These are also the duties and responsibilities of political and religious leaders. Unfortunately, this was not the case with Israel. Indeed, this is not the case in many corners of the world. A leadership challenge is imminent as many so-called leaders should be called rulers who fail to care for or protect the people of the governed. They also failed to provide care, protection, and guidance. As well, they fail to ensure equity and justice for the people.
OUR THEME
The readings of today enlighten us that God is the only true shepherd of his people Israel. He is a good shepherd who provides care, feeds, protects, and guides his sheep. Equally, he is the shepherd who seeks out the lost and scattered sheep to bring them to safety, care, and abundance.
The readings invite us to imitate Christ, our Good Shepherd. By using our God-given authority in the family, the Christian community, and the society to become worthy shepherds. It implies that shepherding is not only a sense of pastoral care of priests and pastors of souls. It is a general concept of service to the flock of God in our care as priests, parents, grandparents, catechists, leaders of groups, etc.
The readings make us aware of the urgent and great need for responsible and empathetic shepherds in the Church, Christian community, family, and the world. At the same time, they invite shepherds to be conscious and careful in service to the sheep.
The readings challenge us to a life of dutifulness, responsibilities, and service as leaders in the different capacities of our vocations and professions. Hence, the biblical readings of this Sunday present us with a leadership challenge. That demands a commitment from us to those in our care.
FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 23:1-6
God, through Prophet Jeremiah, pronounced a word of warning against Shepherds who are careless and irresponsible towards the sheep in their care. It was a strong caution for their use and abuse of the sheep under them as leaders. It is worth asking why God is sending out this warning or precaution to the shepherds of Israel.
Shepherds were not only selfish and absorbed in self-interest. They were also corrupt and unjust with the sheep in their care.
Through their erroneous lifestyle, they entice and influence the sheep to derive from the commandments of God. They were unfaithful to God, and they led their sheep to do the same.
Instead of feeding, caring, protecting, and guiding the sheep, they practically took advantage of them living on, using, and feeding on them.
Therefore, God declares that he will be a shepherd to his people. A shepherd that will care, feed, protect, and guide his sheep. As well, as one who gathers them from where they were scattered. He will also make them fruitful and multiply in all aspects of their being.
WHO IS A SHEPHERD?
It means that to be a shepherd, one must see that the sheep flourish through his effort of the shepherd to lead them to green pasture and restful water. Hence, producing plentiful and healthy milk, meat, and wool. A true shepherd cares for his sheep to make them productive as well as multiply.
Equally, God will raise worthy shepherds for his people. Shepherds like himself will care, feed, defend, and guide the sheep to fruitfulness and multiplication.
Finally, through his prophet, God promised his people an eternal shepherd Jesus Christ through the line of King David. A shepherd who will not only be a Good Shepherd but also execute justice and equity. Furthermore, a pastor who will allow faithfulness and righteousness among the sheep by his exemplary life.
GOD’S JUDGMENT ON FAKE SHEPHERDS
From the prophecy of Jeremiah, it is clear that leadership challenge is a big issue in the Israelites’ religious and political society. Prophet Jeremiah 23:1-6 denounced with anger the insensitivity, negligence of responsibility, and abusiveness of power and authority by the religious leaders of Israel.
Therefore, God warns the irresponsible shepherds of the consequences of their acts. He also encourages the shepherds of the people of Israel and us all to be responsible for our God-given task of shepherding.
There will be a judgment against the leaders of Israel and all leaders of families, societies, or nations. God will demand responsibility and accountability from them on how they care for or protect the sheep entrusted to them.
God as the good shepherd, will seek out the scattered sheep and rescue them from dangerous places. He will make them prosperous and ensure righteousness and justice among them. For us also, it is our challenge as Christians or leaders to do so.
We have a promise of new leadership. That is, God will raise new shepherds or leaders for his people Israel and us that will lead us to fulfil the will of God. It is an urgent call to save the deplorable condition of our families, churches, and societies at large.
PSALM 23: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23 of King David, the shepherd boy who became a King uses this same imagery of sheepherding to speak of God as a shepherd. Shepherds take their sheep to green pastures and still waters and along correct paths. They protect them with their rod and staff in the darkest valleys.
It is one of the most beautiful psalms that assures us of the providence, care, love, grace, protection, and guidance of God amid our uncertainty in our journey of life. It is a psalm that invites us to trust and have confidence in God even in the most dangerous, uncertain, and darkest moments of our lives.
It is a psalm worth knowing of the heart and praying to form our inner self deeply rooted in God. A prayerful psalm should bring us a sense of tranquillity or calmness amidst the challenges of life. On a more personal note, it is my favourite Psalm, and like the psalmist, I declared: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want”.
Hence, in Psalm 23, the psalmist presents a loving and caring image of a true shepherd as one who attends to the needs of his flock.
SECOND READING: EPHESIANS 2:13-18
While St. Paul in Ephesians 2: 13-18, in Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd demonstrated to us a very unique quality of a true leader – one who unites, reconciles, and establishes peace among his subjects and at the same time breaks down the dividing wall of enmity, hostility, hatred, injustice, etc.
For St Paul, Christ Jesus is the Lord and Saviour whose supreme sacrifice reconciled the divided nations of Jews and Gentiles. Thus, ending the deep-seated hatred among them and breaking down the long ages of walls of barriers that separate them. He became their peace, mercy, and grace. Hence, people are reconciled and brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
IMPLICITLY, THE SECOND READING ARTICULATES MANY CRUCIAL ROLES OF A GOOD SHEPHERD IN THE LIVES OF HIS SHEEP.
- He promotes peace and unity and does not scatter the sheep entrusted to his care through forgiveness and reconciliation despite their differences. A good shepherd is a peacemaker and not an instigator of divisions, conflicts, rancour, and bitterness among the sheep.
- A good shepherd sacrifices himself to break down barriers and make fences and walls disappear from the communities of sheep or among the sheep. He brings peace and unity through love (the sacrifice of the cross in the case of Christ).
The ancient world had its barriers. So, too, has our modern world. In any Christ-less society, there can be nothing but middle walls of partition among men.
- A true and good shepherd promotes the religion and spirituality of love and not legalism as the fundamental principle of Christian religion, or knowing God. Hence, Paul says Christ wiped out the law of the commandments with all its decrees.
It means that Jesus removed the fences between or among men because he abolished all religions founded on rules and regulations. Then, he reconciled men with each other and men with God. Thereby, he brought to men a religion whose foundation is love.
- That is, a good pastor like Christ does not see the Jewish law and its thousands of rules and regulations as the determinant of friendship or fellowship with God. Rather a connection that puts love for God and love for men above everything else. These include sacred rituals and sacrifices, ceremonial laws, and their multiple facets of interpretations and applications.
- A true shepherd fosters unity among the sheep. Therefore, creating an ambient of peace, tranquillity, and calmness. Paul goes on to tell us that it is priceless gifts that come with unity in Christ.
- Christ made both Jew and Gentile into one new man through peace, reconciliation, and unity not by blotting out all racial features. He achieved this by making all men of all nations into Christians.
- A good pastor of the sheep does not create complications or division among the sheep. Instead, he promotes clarity and enhancement of the quality of their lifestyle. A good shepherd does not create external identities for the sheep but an internal transformation that leads to fruitfulness and multiplications.
- A true and good shepherd creates an enabling environment for the sheep to bosom their capacity with infinite possibilities. He leads them to the greener pasture, the richest fountain of water, and the
- The most secure place: the presence of the indwelling God. A good pastor does not give God (religion) but helps the sheep find God (Spirituality).
- There is the sharpest difference between false pastors who impose their own God on the people creating a sense of dependence. And the true and good pastor who helps the people find God in their way and through their own experience creating freedom and growth.
In a nutshell, we come to understand through Paul that Christ: the chief and good shepherd makes peace, breaks down barriers, fosters unity, and creates an enabling environment for the sheep to grow and develop to their full potential.
Likewise, it is the duties and responsibilities of pastors who are leaders in the Christian Church or society to promote peace, unity, growth, and development solidly among their flock. They are also responsible for breaking down the barriers that divide and alienate them from each other and God.
THE GOSPEL: MARK 6:30-34
The gospel of today presents one of the unique nature or character of Jesus Christ. After listening to his disciples on all they did and taught in his name through their recently embarked mission. He was concerned for their tiredness and weariness. Therefore, he invited them to rest or recreation to recuperate their energy, strength, and vitality.
EMPATHY FOR COLLABORATORS
It demonstrates to us that Jesus is not just a leader or pastor who cares about the sheep of God. He is also concerned about the workers or co-pastors working in the sheepfold of God. It is unique for Christ to know the importance of caring for the co-pastors working with and for him. They are the ones who care deeply for their state of being.
He invited them to a quiet or silent retreat to regain their vitality from the weariness of the mission. Christ knew beyond all reasonable doubt that only a fully spirit-filled missionary or pastor could give from his reservoir of spirit-filledness.
In the Gospel of Mark 6:30-34, Jesus’ move by compassion and human sensitivity taught his followers that leadership and authority are not perverting into power to impose rules or dominate others and self-serving but rather into servant-caring and services.
One fundamental question here is: how many so-called pastors or chief pastors of souls know it is inevitably necessary to care for those who work with them in the vineyard of God? Their health and wholeness and not pretending all that matters is the burnout for the sheep?
While Jesus and his worn-out disciples embarked on a trip to catch some rest in their usual resting place, the desperate and shepherdless crowd went to wait for them.
COMPASSION AND EMPATHY OF CHRIST
However, Christ is an empathetic and compassionate pastor who feels, senses, relates, and connects to the inner quest of the flock of God. A true and good shepherd and the pastor of souls saw the inner cries and silent tears for help and responded despite his tiredness.
He saw them as “sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things”. He set out to care, feed, orient, and guide them. As well as protect them from the crunches of hungry wolves who might take advantage of the sheep’s desperation and loopholes created by selfish and self-absorbing pastors who care about themselves and not the sheep in their care.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE READINGS OF THIS SUNDAY
In many areas of our lives, there is a crisis of authority and leadership. Crisis racks havoc in the family, society, the Christian Church or religious communities, and even groups or institutions, and nations. There is a problem of pastoring: a failure of leadership.
There are some basic facts about being a leader, pastor, or shepherd in the world today than having and exercising power and authority. It is what the readings caution us on. And Christ, the chief pastor of the flock of God, shows us the way forward today.
- The simple fact of holding a leadership position no longer ensures loyalty and unquestioning obedience today.
- The ideal leader can win respect and generate trust, one with a clear sense of responsibility, who can get things done while respecting people’s dignity and feelings.
- Leaders are people of integrity who care for others (Jeremiah), people who help us follow the right path (Psalm), and show compassion toward others in their weakness and helplessness. (Gospel).
- Shepherding does not apply to bishops or local pastors, priests, or religious. It also applies to all kinds of leadership authority in families, workplaces, schools, groups, neighbourhoods, communities, and societies.
- According to Simon Sinek, the author of the book: “Leaders Eat Last”, “A true leader takes care of those who take care of those he leads in the context of institutions and organizations”. It is what Christ demonstrated to us in the gospel of today when he shows deep concern for the apostles and disciples who take care of sheep on his half.
- The shepherd image suggests that authority is not mainly the power to impose rules. The shepherding role is one of service more than dominion.
- The shepherds in the political sphere have the responsibility of keeping public order. Equally, they will trust with the duty of defending the rights of citizens and promoting fairness for all insofar as possible.
- All leaders in all fields of life are to set a good direction and enable a community to live together in peace, where each individual has dignity and an equal chance of personal fulfilment.
- True and good leaders do not lead formally by rules, decrees, anathemas, and sledgehammers of punishing, excluding, or branding those who differ from their views.
- No, a good pastor of souls would live and act like Christ. As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, points out, “Our clergy cannot rule by formal decree but must try to win minds and hearts and communicate an inspiring vision, suited to our times. They must trust the maturity of the people, and promote a sense of owning the Church we all belong to”.
- Besides the official leaders of Church and State, parents, catechists, and teachers are examples of pastoral leadership at a local and domestic level. They are the immediate models who help the child develop character and lay the foundations for their growth into adult maturity.
The readings are a call and a challenge to leaders, especially priests that leadership and authority are not about self-serving or self-interest to accumulate but service to all. It is about integrity, duty, and responsibility to those in their care.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
Are you aware that you are a pastor or shepherd in a different capacity? Either as a father, mother, grandma, or grandpa or even as an elderly brother or sister? Is your lifestyle scandalous and promotes injustice, unfaithfulness, and unrighteousness?
As a pastor, are you responsible and dutiful towards those entrusted to your care? Are you a pastor who cares, feeds, protects, or guides your sheep? Or you are careless, and irresponsible and allow them to scatter without a leader or direction?
Are you a shepherd and leader who makes peace? Or break down barriers? And foster unity among the people or sheep? Or do you ferment troubles, instigate conflicts, and scatter the sheep?
Are you compassionate, kind, and empathetic pastors who see in-depth into the hearts of the people? Do you connect, relate, or feel for the needs and well-being of the sheep? Or do you heartlessly out of insensitivity or legality make life difficult for the sheep in your care?
Are you an empathetic pastor who allows love and feelings to dominate your decision process over the sheep? Or are you a legalistic pastor influenced by the rules and regulations of your pastoral care for the sheep?
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, with compassion and empathy, you show a new order of leadership. Raise men and women of kindness, integrity, and honesty to be the shepherds of your people. May they dutifully and responsibly care, feed, protect, and guide the sheep to the full realization of their human and spiritual life. Amen
BE A PRIEST-PASTOR BY COMPASSION AND NOT LEGALITY
Rita Snowden tells the story of the war. In France, some soldiers with their sergeant brought the body of a dead comrade to a French cemetery to have him buried. The priest told them gently that he was bound to ask if their comrade had been a baptized adherent of the Roman Catholic Church. They said that they did not know. The priest said that he was very sorry in that case, and he could not permit burial in his churchyard.
So the soldiers took their comrade sadly and buried him just outside the fence. The next day they came back to see that the grave was all right, and to their astonishment, they could not find it.
Search as they might, they could find no trace of the freshly dug soil. As the soldiers were about to leave in bewilderment, the priest came up. He told them that his heart had been troubled.
As a result of his refusal to allow them to bury their dead comrade in the churchyard, so early in the morning, when he woke up with his own hands, he had moved the fence to include the grave of the dead soldier who had sacrificed his life for France.
