In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah compares political and religious leaders of Israel to bad shepherds leading their flock astray. In contrast, the author of the responsorial psalm points to the Lord as the good shepherd taking exemplary care of every individual sheep. The Gospel confirms that Jesus excelled in that role by showing compassion to people deprived of meaningful guidance in their lives.
As Christians, we should help people, especially young people, to navigate rightly their lives when so many voices try to draw their attention. Let us assist them in the discernment between Jesus the Good Shepherd on one side; and false gurus leading to self-destruction, dominant fads, prevailing mass media trends, or harmful ideologies, on the other one.
To make correct choices, it is necessary to pray in solitude as Jesus planned to do in a deserted place. Very often someone complains about of time. However, he/she wastes precious time on watching frivolous movies or searching for meaningless information on the internet. Let us use our time to serve others as best as we can while lack simultaneously asking Christ for the perfect balance between action and contemplation.
– Fr. Toni Baranowski SJ