As I read through this week’s Liturgy of the Word, I am struck with all of the imagery of Jesus as our kind and loving Shepherd and us as the sheep who wander and stray. But right now, in this unnatural situation, we may be wondering where, exactly, does our Good Shepherd want to lead us? Where are those verdant pastures?
As I reflect more on the Second Reading, I recall, as a child in a Catholic elementary school, being told to “offer it up” when we would complain about the slightest inconvenience. St. Peter wrote “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.” As I child, I offered up all my small worries and daily chores for the souls in purgatory. I often wonder, when I die, will I have some stranger come up to me and say, “Thank you for offering up scrubbing that floor, it got me to Heaven!” Then I chuckle. But look now at our situation. Many are suffering, but for some of us, this does not add up to more than an inconvenience. Neither I, nor my loved ones are sick, we have access to school and work and food. However, around us is darkness and despair. These are the souls I need to offer up my enduring inconveniences for.
Our Good Shepherd is here all around us, from comforting at the bedside of the afflicted, to collecting at the local food pantries, and even feeling the pangs of annoyance at the continued lack of disinfecting wipes at Shop Rite! But the green pastures to which he leads us are not physical ones (as I look out at the grey rainy sky!). They are the attitudes we hold in our minds and hearts as we face each day.
God shepherds us away from our negative attitudes towards an abundant table spread with optimism before us. A change in attitude now can help us see the good we can do for our fellow homebound family members and our neighbors in need. We can exude appreciation for those on the front lines and offer prayers for the suffering and a smile for those who cannot see the verdant pastures yet.
We may feel helpless, powerless, cut off, but fight against the valley of dark pessimism, knowing that our Good Shepherd, in his omnipotence, is working all things toward good. With a change in our attitude, we are answering his call. And who knows where that may lead us?