A reflection on Ezekiel 34 for the Solemnity of Christ the King Year A.
Two or three sheep look peaceful in a painting. Put a whole flock around a little patch of grass, and I picture more chaos. Somebody gets shoved to the side. Somebody eats plenty while another one goes hungry. A shepherd has a lot on his hands..
So I think about the reading from Ezekiel. God promises to find His scattered sheep, bring them home, and tend their wounds. I could happily sit with that happy scene all morning. Then He says He will judge between the sheep. I would think about the green pasture, but the injured ones need Him to pay attention to how they got hurt.
On Christ the King Sunday, I want to remember that His care reaches people who have been shoved out of the way. He knows them and what happened to them. His promise to judge gives me hope that cruelty will finally be answered, even when those responsible have managed to keep their good names.
I think about what happens when a church discovers that someone has been harmed. There can be such a rush to quiet things down. People worry about the parish’s reputation, or say how much good the accused person has done. Meanwhile, the wounded person is wondering whether anybody is listening. A shepherd worth following would surely go looking for that one.
And I have to let Him look at me, too. I can be kind to somebody who is in pain and still avoid hearing anything that would make me uncomfortable. I might like the person being criticized. Maybe I have given money to the institution involved. It is difficult to admit that something I support has helped cause harm. I need the Lord’s help to hear the truth without looking for an excuse.
Ezekiel gives me a King I can bring those failures to. He gathers His sheep and takes their wounds seriously. When I pray for His kingdom to come, I am asking Him to put things right. I ought to expect that some things will have to change. I need to ask for the courage to take part in the work.
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