Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 91

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them 

because they were troubled and abandoned,

like sheep without a shepherd....

Then he summoned his twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits

to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

There are no accidents in God’s plan and his choice of the Jewish people was no accident; nor was his choice of the gentiles who would come to the Jewish messiah.

Moses had explained it in the Book of Deuteronomy: 

“It was not because you are more numerous than all the peoples that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you; for you are really the smallest of all peoples. It was because the LORD loved you….”

Saint Paul explained the mystery further to the Corinthians: 

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something….

In fact, the Lord God chose a pastoral people – that is shepherds – to set the standard for how the nations should come to know their God. He is the Good Shepherd, and the people of the entire world are the sheep of his flock.  Neither the God of Abraham nor the Lord Jesus chose a nation of warriors, beauty queens, champion athletes, or movie stars. We are not successful merchants, entrepreneurs, or Rhodes scholars; nor are we capitalists, socialists, communists, or Maoists. 

Today’s gospel tells us,

“At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them  because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” 

Throughout the Old and New Testaments the people of God are known as sheep, and their rulers are descendants of the shepherd-king David. As I understand, sheep are notoriously stupid. After several thousand years of being bred and led by human shepherds, they cannot survive without constant protection. They hardly have the sense to run away from a wolf or lion. 

Now we might not want to be called sheepish, but that seems to be how the Lord regards us. And in fact, people are notoriously foolish – present company excluded, of course. A little online research tells us that,  

• Nearly 72%  of US teens have used AI companions, and about 50% are regular users. Over 50% of US adults have engaged with AI systems as colleagues, confidants, or friends.

• Over half (52%) of American men aged 18 to 49 currently have an active account with an online sportsbook or gambling app. 

• “40% to 50% of American men report viewing pornography frequently (weekly or near-daily) basis, 

• “Many American children, aged 12 years and older, were diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder in 2024. 

• 22% of people aged 21 years and older reported binge drinking in the last 30 days; 

• Americans’ bad eating habits cost approximately $50 billion a year due to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

• Up to 30% of older adults die alone. 

• An estimated 2% to 4% of people who die annually in the U.S. go completely unclaimed, which equates to up to 148,000 individuals each year. No funeral, no memorial, no memory; no one cared, no one noticed.

At the sight of Americans, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

In response, Saint Matthew tells us, 

he said to his disciples,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.”

And then, Saint Matthew says, he summoned his twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits

to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

That’s us, the Church. We may not be especially clever. We’re certainly not the wealthiest, prettiest, wisest, or the nicest people. Nor, for that matter, do our priests and bishops always model the healthiest ways to eat, exercise, study, socialize, or pray. We have only our faith in God, and God's fidelity to us. He has never abandoned us, and never will. And that is our gift to the lonely, the troubled, the depressed and suicidal. We invite them to join us because we care; because Jesus cares, because he has sent us to be shepherds of the world, and to lead people to his Sacred Heart.

I have said neither sheep nor people in general are very smart, but Christians share other sheeplike characteristics that give us an advantage:

• First, we flock together. The Spirit of God moving in each one of us draws us together, so that we like to pray, work, socialize and play together. We can speak of the Lord to one another without fear, and we build communities of support. We teach our children, neighbors, and friends how to believe as we believe. 

• Secondly, we hear the Good Shepherd’s voice and we follow where he leads us. As Jesus said, we know his voice. It is as familiar and reassuring as a mother's voice is to her day-old baby. 

• Even when he must speak sternly to us – and he doesn’t mind doing that! – we are glad to hear him speak. It may be a rebuke, but it's marvelous in our ears. 

We never forget that the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

...is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

In green pastures he makes me lie down;

to still waters he leads me;

he restores my soul.

He guides me along right paths

for the sake of his name.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

You set a table before me

in front of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the LORD

for endless days. Psalm 23