This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!”
In line with this beginning of today’s second reading, we do well to remember that we don’t have God and His ways all figured out. There is still plenty of mystery for us with God, and in particular with His approach to man, and that mystery is the space in which we trust Him and obey Him.
Perhaps few of God’s choices are more difficult to understand, at least at first consideration, than the choice reflected in today’s first reading and Gospel: Namely, the choice to put His own authority in the hands of a select group of chosen individuals. Perhaps this would make more sense to us if those people were infallibly guaranteed to be holy. But this is not the case.
Starting with St. Peter and the apostles, Jesus has conferred His teaching authority in the hands of the Pope and bishops teaching in communion with him; and yet, we see in the history of the Church worldly popes and bishops, men unworthy of their calling. This can be terribly discouraging, and we may wonder why God would inflict such a burden on His Church.
But if concrete examples of unworthy shepherds may discourage us, we are profoundly encouraged by the miracle that over the course of the millennia, Jesus’ teaching has been preserved faithfully by the Church, even in the presence of unworthy shepherds, and also applied faithfully to the evolving realities of each time period. Sometimes Church governmental decisions have been flawed, as well as informal utterances and teachings, but not the teachings of the Magisterium of the Church in the key areas affecting our eternal welfare: faith and morals.
As we contemplate this mystery, we may consider that God has “stubbornly” insisted on sharing with His followers all the glories of His Son, including kingship and authority, despite the evil that would flow from those who take up this authority unworthily. Also, He has “stubbornly” avoided overruling or suppressing the exalted gift man’s freedom, and thus has not provided any guarantee of the holiness of any shepherd’s choices.
But I think a clearer hint at God’s intent in establishing the authority of the Church is the revelations of Jesus’ heart for His flock that we see in the Gospel. Before feeding the multitude, He looks out over the crowd gathered and takes pity, for they are like “sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt. 9:36) And then we have His promise: “I will not leave you orphans.” (Jn. 14:18) Jesus loves us, His disciples, tenderly, and did not want us to have to navigate the dark path of the world without giving us guides to enlighten the paths of each age with an authentic application of His teachings.
Like Adam and Eve in Eden, there are those today in the Church who would wish to be “like gods,” answering to no one and becoming the sole interpreters of the truth for their worlds. But for those of us who know to appreciate it, the Magisterium of the Church is a great gift Our Lord has given us that we may have peace and certainty as we strive to follow Him in every age.
Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Consider the unworthiness of many shepherds in the Church, and ask Our Lord to penetrate proud hearts in the clergy and convert them back to His Heart. Then, consider the miracle of the sure path He has given us to follow in the teachings of the Magisterium, even in the midst of varying clerical holiness, and thank Him for the tenderness of His personal love for you as manifested in this gift. Ask Him for the wisdom and humility to follow that Magisterium faithfully without being deceived or discouraged by the less-than-stellar example of some.
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