Sheep Without a Shepherd
December 9th Readings Reflection: Saturday of the First Week of Advent
In today’s Gospel, we hear of Jesus experiencing pity for the crowds who were flocking to Him. These people brought their sick and sought physical healings from Jesus, Who mercifully performed countless miracles during this time. Our Lord compared these people to “sheep without a shepherd.”
A priest whom I know once gave a homily about how we are sheep in the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd. This priest pointed out that sheep are dirty, smelly, and not terribly smart. When Jesus compares us to sheep, this priest explained, He is comparing us to such animals, which is not an appealing metaphor for our human pride. It is uncomfortable to think of ourselves as dirty, smelly, and ignorant, yet this is exactly what we are in our fallen state. Our souls bear the stain and stench of sin, and we often turn away from the Truth in our pursuit of what we erroneously believe will bring us happiness.
However, God does not will that we remain in such a lowly state. He wants to exalt us and wash our souls “in the blood of the Lamb” (Apoc 7:14 DRB). God wills that we spend eternity with Him in Heaven, our souls gloriously resplendent with His grace. We know that Baptism cleanses our souls of Original Sin and gives us the life of God’s grace. However, in the many years following our Baptisms, we repeatedly commit sins that sully our souls. When we have the grave misfortune of falling into mortal sin, we completely lose God’s grace in our souls.
Our merciful God has given us a means by which we can cleanse our souls in His Blood, poured forth on the Cross for us. Through the Sacrament of Confession, Our Lord offers us His grace so that our souls may be cleansed over and over again throughout our lives. No matter what sin we may have had the misfortune to commit, the Good Shepherd is always waiting to forgive us through His priest in the Confessional.
The people in today’s Gospel believed physical healing was all that was necessary in their lives. They failed to recognize that the more important healing is that of our souls. This Advent, may we humbly seek God’s grace in the Sacrament of Confession and return to Him as sheep to their merciful shepherd.
Amen!
Sheep are unspeakably gross.