The title of this note, taken from the third chapter of the Prophet Jeremiah, is a promise God made to His people at a time when their faith was in crisis. He promised to give shepherds so that His sheep might have someone to care for them, to free them from fear, to liberate them from dismay (cf. Jer. 23:4). In our Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus – the Son of the Father through Whom God’s every promise is made – undoubtedly had the memory of this promise before His mind’s eye when, as Matthew tells us, He looked at the crowds, and His “heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt. 9:36). Other translations of the Gospel give an even stronger sense: they were “harassed and helpless”. Seeing His people in such a state, Jesus sent the 12 into the whole world, and from the 12 arose enumerable shepherds – as their successor bishops and the priests who share in their mission – to care for God’s little flock.
Today we sense that the Church is once more troubled, and in our fear we wonder: are we abandoned? Where is God in this trial? But God’s promises still ring true, and just as then He assures us: “Pastores dabo vobis – I will give you shepherds”. We are grateful to God that He is responding to our prayer for vocations and His Holy Spirit is inspiring more and more young people to answer a religious calling, including many young men responding to His call to shepherd His flock as priests. We also recognize that such a response is only possible if it arises from a posture of prayer: “One does not take this honor upon Himself, but he is called by God…” (Heb 4:5) – such a calling from God can only be perceived in the intimacy and solitude of prayer, where heart speaks to heart and God’s will is slowly but surely understood as it resonates in the soul of the one who truly seeks His will. This prayer, though, is not solely the responsibility of the one who is called by God; it is also the responsibility of the entire Christian community. If in our day we feel that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mt. 9:37), then in faith we are called to hear the command of Jesus and respond in the manner He teaches: “ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers for His harvest” (Mt. 9:38).
The temptation for us now is perhaps to beg more ardently than in the past because of the trials we are facing during the Beacons of Light initiative – “if we just had more priests, then I could still have my Mass at my Church”. In other words, we could go back to the way things were. And of course, amid the hurt, this feeling is understandable. But it is also too limited of a vision – priests don’t exist merely to “fill places” and “offer Masses”, which, truly, the Mass is the most important thing the priest can offer for the Church. Yet we must realize that the current crisis has less to do with numbers of priests, and more to do with the crisis of faith in the Church, among clergy and laity alike. If the priest is not placing his entire life at the service of the True Faith, and if the flock is not demanding – and allowing – the priest to truly serve the salvation of their souls, to truly serve their holiness, to serve their joy, then no number of priests would be sufficient to turn the tide. For reasons far more urgent than “staffing” our parishes, we must beg the Master of the harvest to send us laborers because we realize that, more than anything, we need them to get to Heaven, we need them to become holy, we need them to encounter the Living Christ, we need them to share our Master’s joy. I write this not simply as a priest, but as a Catholic and a member of the flock. I cannot absolve myself, I cannot anoint myself – priests need priests, too.
We must all realize our need for these shepherds the Lord longs to give us, and beg Him to send them to us, send them to His Church, so that we might not be troubled, helpless, harassed, or abandoned, but rather that we will be cared for and consoled by the ministry of His Heart that comes to us through the ministry of His priests. And we should be specific with our prayer, that He send us good and holy priests, who love the Church and are faithful to her teachings, and pray that the priests we have may become better and holier each day. Our young men must be prepared to make the very real sacrifice such a calling entails – realizing that, whatever shortcomings or weaknesses they may bear, God’s grace is sufficient (cf. 2 Cor 12:9). And our families – specifically parents – must be not only willing but eager to see God call a son to the priesthood, and strive to foster piety, prayer, and a genuine love for the Church in the heart of the home. If we truly want God to send us laborers, then we must act like it, and do the kinds of things that will give rise to abundant vocations in our families, parishes, and communities – starting with prayer and a culture of encouragement. God is never outdone in generosity, and He will certainly reward whatever sacrifices we make in this regard. May God bless you in the week ahead and may Mother Mary lead you more deeply into the Sacred and Merciful Heart of Jesus. I remain,
Affectionately Yours in Christ,
Fr. Hess
