Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lectionary: 421

...because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,

but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;

because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:

Thus says the Lord GOD:

I swear I am coming against these shepherds.

I will claim my sheep from them

and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep

so that they may no longer pasture themselves.

I will save my sheep,

that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

Rulers of ancient Israel and Judah were not elected; their power base was village and clan leaders and hired mercenaries, preferably Jewish warriors. "The business of kings is war" and the Israelite rulers promised to protect their "sheep" from foreign aggression. In return they exacted heavy taxes and lived luxuriously. Kings ran a protection racket and, ordinarily, everyone agreed it is better to be ruled by one of your own. Upward mobility, if there was any, was empowered not by what you know but by who you know.

The Hebrew prophets had no quarrel with that system of governance. They didn't dream of democracy or technocracy. Had they thought of it they might have liked meritocracy, provided the worthy individuals were selected by God. But they had a serious quarrel with the "shepherds" who used and abused the sheep. That was clearly wrong.

The problem with this paradigm of "shepherds and sheep" is that sheep are notoriously stupid. They cannot imagine life without a shepherd and they trust whichever shepherd they're given, regardless of ability or virtue. They do not suppose they should fire the shepherd and hire someone else; they do not imagine the shepherd should be governed by a higher authority, much less operate within a "balance of powers." It would take the Enlightenment and Thomas Jefferson to develop those ideas.

The Hebrew prophets believed that The Lord is our shepherd. Every human authority civil or religious is a hired hand in God's world. And subject to dismissal. With that vision prophets could pronounce judgement on the unworthy men who misled, exploited or abused God's people.

Several thousand years later sophisticated societies like to think they have evolved past their pastoral origins. Perhaps our rural genes receded while our civilized genes took charge. Darwin was right after all!

Unfortunately, recent controversies show that human beings can still behave like wicked shepherds and witless sheep. One doesn't have to be a dictator, president or pope with "absolute power;" the least significant bully can be notoriously wicked given the opportunity to exploit vulnerable persons. Any private encounter between two persons of unequal rank seems to invite trouble. If only "attractive" people were victims we might not be surprised at this rapaciousness; but these crimes occur in nursing homes and kindergartens. Their physical beauty didn't invite the assault; their weakness did. Nor are their assailants the ugly, misshapen monsters we expect. They're often Caspar Milquetoasts​​​ to all appearances; quiet, harmless, and largely unnoticeable. Very often they thing they're the actual victims!

Psalm 49 finishes with a promise to those who are actually oppressed and a pronouncement of doom on those who violate others:

Do not fear when a man becomes rich, 

when the wealth of his house grows great. 

At his death he will not take along anything, 

his glory will not go down after him. 

During his life his soul uttered blessings; 

“They will praise you, for you do well for yourself.” 

But he will join the company of his fathers, 

never again to see the light. 

In his prime, man does not understand. 

He is like the beasts—they perish.