By Fr. Ed Liptak, SDB

What are the qualities of a good shepherd? Psalm 23 displays them beautifully: He leads me to the green and restful pastures of heaven; there I will be refreshed and my thirst for God satisfied; He guides me on safe paths; my journey may be clouded by darkness of evil, but He is at my side; the power in His staff gives me courage; He sets a fine table for me in the sight of my enemy; He anoints me with the oil of grace; I overflow with goodness and kindness; all this, and I shall dwell in the Lord’s house forever. Indeed, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.“

All this beauty is open to us. Yet Jeremiah warns that there are evil shepherds who want to lead us astray. Their ways are not of God, but selfish. And “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel” … “I will take care to punish [their] evil deeds.” People that we know or even like, may lead us into ways of darkness. Instead, we must seek out shepherds loyal to God so that we can travel ‘without fear and trembling to the LORD.’ Jeremiah foretells that help will come,  a righteous shoot of David. This is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and He will renew us in the ways of righteousness.

As St. Paul says, we seek to approach the Father, and we do this through Christ and His blood shed in sacrifice on the Cross. It did not matter to Paul whether one was Jew or Gentile. Nor should it matter to us. Both are destined for heaven. Both need reconciliation with God, and that comes from Jesus. He is the source of all salvation.

In the Gospel, Jesus welcomed the Apostles, who returned exulting from their mission to bring the light of Jesus to their neighbors. Their ministry had tired them, and Christ invited them to come aside and rest. They climbed into a boat and set out, not in haste. As it turned out, aboard the boat was the only time they had rest, for when they got to their ‘quiet’ place, they were confronted by a great crowd eager to be taught the Way. To preach salvation was more important than their rest.

For me then, what should be important? Assaulted by the darkness of this world, tempted by the darkest of darkness from Satan’s world, then:

“Out of the depths I cry, Defend me, O Lord!”