Praying for the Bad Shepherds

Today's first reading for Mass is a heavy-hitter from the prophet Ezekiel. It starts out: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! (You have to read the whole thing.) Since we are still waiting for a report detailing who knew what when about one of the worst shepherds of our times, the ex-Cardinal "Ted" McCarrick, the reading is still painfully relevant. At the same time, the reading offers consolation for those who have a right to genuine shepherding. God swears an oath: "I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. ... I myself will look after and tend my sheep."

I can't wait.

But we must wait and not only that. We must pray for the "shepherds ... who have been pasturing themselves"--those who may have had corrupt intentions all along; those who have fallen into self-seeking through weakness or by the corrupting influence of others, and who feel trapped or no longer even see what is wrong; and those who have "lost their first love" (see Rev. 2:4) and function on auto-pilot, spiritually and pastorally lifeless. Whatever the cause, the Church needs them to be who they were called and ordained to be. And for that, our first recourse is prayer.

In the Pauline Family there is a special Institute focused on pastoral ministry, with unique prayers for our ordained shepherds. The prayers are so particular to the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd that we Daughters of St. Paul are mostly unfamiliar with them. They just don't match our life and mission, even though the basic spirituality and the goal is the same: to live Jesus Christ and bring him in his fullness to others. 

So today, in the light of the first reading and the many needs of the Church and its shepherds, I thought I would share with you the post-Communion prayer Blessed James Alberione wrote for the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the "Pastorelle" or "shepherdess" Sisters:

Lord, I offer you, in union with the priests who today celebrate the holy Mass: Jesus-Host and myself, a small victim:

* In reparation for all the offenses committed against Jesus Good Shepherd living in the person of the Pope, bishops and priests.

* To invoke your mercy on all the sheep who have strayed from the true fold, or are still scattered like a flock without a shepherd.

* For the conversion of false shepherds who distance people from Jesus the Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

* To honor, love and follow only Jesus Way, Truth and Life.

* That we may cooperate with our shepherds in enlightening, guiding and praying for the salvation of men.

* To ask you that all shepherds and their collaborators, especially parents and teachers, may be holy, full of wisdom and zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of men.

* That vocations may be multiplied and be effective in their words; that they may fulfill the apostolate of prayer and example, so that soon there will be only one flock under one Shepherd.

* That all of us may know our ignorance and misery and the need to remain always humbly before your tabernacle invoking light, piety and mercy.