On His Shoulders

November 8, 2007

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. Romans 14:8

“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:4-6

Piety

Jesus, I am wandering off. Come and find me. Bring me back. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/110807.shtml

God has total claim on our lives and on our deaths. We are his. Everything we have comes from God. Even though we might stray some times (many times?), God is constantly on the lookout for us.

The notes in the NAB for the first reading today remind us that this relationship between God and his disciples, through the letter to the Romans, Paul applies the term “slave” to himself in order to express his undivided allegiance to the Lord of the church, the Master of all, including slaves and masters. “No one can serve (i.e., be a slave to) two masters,” said Jesus (Matthew 6:24). It is this aspect of the slave-master relationship rather than its degrading implications that Paul emphasizes when he discusses Christian commitment.

Because of this total claim, God does not want us wander off from this total allegiance, even in death. God will go to any length to bring us back into a right relationship with Him and with our sisters and brothers. When God comes after us, He will succeed. There is no doubt about that. Once he gets us back, God doesn’t leave us on our own feet to possibly wander away again when tempted. Instead, he brings us back to the community on his shoulders.

Remember the first time you saw someone up on shoulders? Was it a baby in her father’s arms? Was it a coach – like Vince Lombardi – on the shoulders of his team in victory? Was it someone in trouble who needed a shoulder to lean on, to cry on?

Being “on His shoulders” brings to mind the picture of a very close relationship. On whose shoulders have you cried? On whose shoulders were you lifted? On whose shoulders were you saved? Such closeness can not be experienced when we wander off on our own tangents. Only when the Good Shepherd carries us home can we experience such closeness. There is no better place to be than on the shoulder of our good shepherd.

Action

Where are you wandering off to today?

Preoccupied with that project at work? Starting to get hyped up over the holidays? After all, someone will soon remind you that there are only 48 shopping days left until Christmas. GAG! Getting ready for a big project at school? Concentrating on those college applications or graduate school admissions?

Today, Luke and Paul are reminding us to keep things in perspective. Stop running away from this relationship. Place yourself in a position where the Good Shepherd will find you.

Stay close to the shepherd by staying close to his sheep. Help care for others who might be tempted to wander off.