St. Augustine - Not Much Has Changed Since Your Time, Has It?

Over the last few days the 2nd reading in the Office of Readings in the Latin Rite of the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office has been taken from the writings of St. Augustine. In particular it has come from a homily where he is talking about the proper behavior of pastors. Monday's reading also talked a bit about an interesting attitude of some of the sheep.

"The straying sheep you have not recalled; the lost sheep you have not sought. In one way or another, we go on living between the hands of robbers and the teeth of raging wolves, and in light of these present dangers we ask your prayers. The sheep moreover are insolent. The shepherd seeks out the straying sheep, but because they have wandered away and are lost they say that they are not ours. “ Why do you want us? Why do you seek us?” they ask, as if their straying and being lost were not the very reason for our wanting them and seeking them out. “If I am straying”, he says, “if I am lost, why do you want me?” You are straying, that is why I wish to recall you. You have been lost, I wish to find you. “But I wish to stray”, he says: “I wish to be lost”. " (emphasis mine)

As I read this I began thinking this sure sounds like the situation in many parts of the Church today. The 1st line is a rehash of the main focus of Sunday's reading. That reading talks about bad shepherds who are more concerned about themselves than preaching the truth. Part of the fruit of their failure to do so is the focus of this section. The sheep no longer want to hear the truth. So when a real shepherd comes along they reject the truth.

Doesn't that sound a lot like the attitude of those cafeteria Catholics out there. When a good shepherd (Pope John Paul the Great or Papa Benedetto, Cardinal Justin Rigali or Bishops Fabian W. Bruskewitz & Robert W. Finn for example) says that being pro-choice is wrong, using birth control is a sin, etc they are faced with the same attitude that St. Augustine talks about. They hear these insolent sheep reject the authentic teachings of the Church these shepherds proclaim.

Yet, does this stop them? No, they don't. Instead, like the good shepherd described here by St. Augustine (based on the teachings of Jesus), the Pope & many bishops, priests & deacons continue to take seriously their call to be a "good shepherd" & continue to seek out the stray sheep. They call them to repentance. They call these people to turn away from sin & turn to Jesus. They call these stray sheep back to the truth. These "good shepherds" react exactly as St. Augustine describes in the next paragraph of his homily.

" So you wish to stray and be lost? How much better that I do not also wish this. Certainly, I dare say, I am unwelcome. But I listen to the Apostle who says: Preach the word; insist upon it, welcome and unwelcome. Welcome to whom? Unwelcome to whom? By all means welcome to those who desire it; unwelcome to those who do not. However unwelcome, I dare to say: “You wish to stray, you wish to be lost; but I do not want this”. For the one whom I fear does not wish this. And should I wish it, consider his words of reproach: The straying sheep you have not recalled; the lost sheep you have not sought. Shall I fear you rather than him? Remember, we must all present ourselves before the judgement seat of Christ."

Thank God for these "good shepherds"! We are truly blessed by their willingness to do what is right, that they proclaim the truth & risk rejection rather than let the sheep continue straying. The words of St. Augustine are truly their words: "I shall recall the straying; I shall seek the lost. Whether they wish it or not, I shall do it. And should the brambles of the forests tear at me when I seek them, I shall force myself through all straits; I shall put down all hedges. So far as the God whom I fear grants me the strength, I shall search everywhere. I shall recall the straying; I shall seek after those on the verge of being lost. If you do not want me to suffer, do not stray, do not become lost. It is enough that I lament your straying and loss. No, I fear that in neglecting you, I shall also kill what is strong. Consider the passage that follows: And what was strong you have destroyed. Should I neglect the straying and lost, the strong one will also take delight in straying and in being lost."

What love these "good shepherds" have! They love God so much that they are willing to lay down their lives to serve Him. They love the strong sheep enough to be sure that they don't stray & they love the stray sheep enough to seek them out & bring them the truth even at the risk of rejection. Some day each of these "good shepherds" will hear the Lord say: "Well done, good & faithful servant. Enter into you Master's joy." as they are welcome into Heaven.

These "good shepherds" need our prayers as well as our support. We need to pray to God to strengthen them with the Holy Spirit so they are empowered to be true shepherds. We need to pray for the "Spirit of Wisdom & Understanding" for them so that they can faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. & we need to let them know that we are supporting them. We need to encourage them to continue in their faithfulness.

& most important of all, we need to listen to what they say as God speaks through them. But, not only listen, we need to heed & follow these teachings. We MUST live them out fully in our lives.