This time it was Walmart, not Wawa. (The Lord likes to shake-up my homily inspirations every now and again.)
In the cereal aisle, an elderly woman reaches for some kind of bland fiber product that was placed much too high for her to grasp. As one can imagine, she was determined to get that product come hell or high water. Thus, without a second thought, she steps on the bottom shelf and, using her cane, tried to swipe the box down from on high into her waiting shopping cart.
In so doing, however, said shelf-climber loses her balance and falls backward, where a younger man was passing by the Pop-Tarts. He steadies her on her feet, and then offers to walk with her awhile to make sure she’s okay. She didn’t refuse.
Together, they walked arm-in-arm down the Walmart cereal aisle, fiber product now safely in her cart.
Sweet story. At Walmart, nonetheless – not always known for its Hallmark moments, right?
But why I was so taken by this moment was not so much the kindness of a stranger but for this very fact: as they walked away from where I stood, I noticed that one shopper wore a “Make America Great Again” tee-shirt and the other’s shirt screamed “Baltimore Pride” in rainbow colors. (You can decide who was wearing which tee.)
Two people so vastly different in age, temperament, ideals and voting preferences (I assume) put all of that aside in that moment to walk with each other, to care for each other.
At this time in our nation’s history – and in our Church’s journey as well – it is important that we ask the question: How are we shepherding one another?
It may be the most important question of our age. How are you and I shepherding those around us?
Jesus does something so touchingly beautiful in today’s Gospel that it is easy to miss if we stay on the surface level of Mark’s account. The disciples return from preaching and healing in the Lord’s Name, no doubt both excited and worn-out from all that God did in and through them. Jesus knew they needed some rest, so he took them apart to recharge and reconnect within themselves, with each other and with the Father.
Here, it might be important to pause and take stock of our own life-and-faith journey: how are you and I Sabbath-ing?
What are you doing to rest in the Lord? Do you take dedicated time to sit before Him? Do you take His Word in Scripture and really meditate and pray with it? Might a decade of the Rosary give you a moment of quiet that your mind and heart are crying-out for?
I’m not always great at this, admittedly … and sometimes, the preacher must also preach to himself. Am I working without taking some time to rest? Do you (and I) allow ourselves vacation without feeling guilty?
Ultimately, we all must ask: am I giving myself the time and space I need to hear and allow the Good Shepherd to transform my heart?
That’s only one part of this Gospel, though – an important part, most certainly, but there’s more to it that captures my imagination:
Look at what Jesus does when the crowds approach him for healing and in hunger. Yes, he cares for them as a loving shepherd does his sheep. We expect that. We’ve been taught that. That’s what Christ the Shepherd does.
But look what he doesn’t do: he doesn’t force the resting, praying, Sabbath-ing disciples to get-up and help him. Nowhere in Mark’s account does he force them to love the hungry and sick who came seeking assistance. Nowhere here does he yell at his closest 12: “Get up and help me shepherd, you lazy lumps.”
He lets them rest if they still need it. And he welcomes the help if they offer it.
Jesus meets them exactly where they are and shepherds them to become His own Heart in the world: to become Christ for others.
How are we doing with that great commission? How are we shepherding those around us, especially those who don’t think, act, look, love or vote as we would?
Talk-show host and comedian Stephen Colbert, no friend of conservative politics, spoke passionately in a monologue the day after the assassination attempt on former President Trump about the need to care for each other again beyond party lines and other ideals that we hold tightly to. “As Americans,” he said, “we need to change how we see each other, how we treat each other, how we talk to each other.”
Colbert said without directly saying it: we need to love each other again as Christ would have us do.
That day on that hillside in Galilee as the multitudinous crowds came seeking Jesus, he did not ask if they were believing Jews … he did not check their politics first … he made no distinction on who and who was not worthy of him.
None of us is worthy. His grace makes us so. We just have to be open to the very fact that Christ wants to shepherd us and save us. Then he wants us to shepherd others as he does.
How are you and I shepherding others these days?
Are we taking the time to listen – really listen – or are we just waiting our turn to speak our minds? Do I always have to get my way, or do I offer the grace to allow others to find theirs? Am I willing to put differences aside in order to allow others to feel Christ’s love through me?
Yes, of course, God passionately cares if people are sinning and not in right relationship with Him and others, but these very same scattered sheep will never allow themselves to seek the True Shepherd if his flock doesn’t first love them into wanting to be made whole again.
My heart would never be broken open to healing and communion if someone first didn’t love me when I was a sinful mess. Let that sink in.
No one will seek the Good Shepherd if we don’t reflect His merciful love.
The person who stands before me or walks beside me may need Christ in ways I may never know this side of heaven, and he or she may find that Love they hunger for if I am but willing to meet them where they are and simply love them in that space of brokenness.
God then does the rest, as the Good Shepherd would.
He invites us to be a part of this incredible mission to bring healing to our Church and to our land again: two “homes” that we all love and want what’s best for.
The world cries out for loving shepherds. Are you willing?
Who knows? You might get your chance right in the cereal aisle at the local Walmart.