SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

What does the community of believers suffer from? Often, the lack of authoritative figures to guide her on the paths of the Gospel. Jesus himself, observing the crowds that follow him, feels compassion because they are “sheep without a shepherd”, that is, abandoned to themselves. Already Micah, in his time, saw the Israelites wandering in the mountains without guides or pastures (cf. 1 Kings 22.17). Starting from today’s readings, we outline three qualities for those who take on the role of leadership within the believing community.
King David was held up as a model ruler yet his rule was not without ambiguity. Towards the end of his reign, he has a temptation: to take a census of his people (cf. 2 Sam 24). A large community is certainly a source of pride for those who lead it. For this, David will be harshly punished by God with a plague that will kill 70,000 inhabitants from Dan to Beersheba. What does it mean? Simple: people are not just numbers. Whoever has the role of leader must not count people, but rather make them count. How? By valuing them for what they are and promoting their talents for the good not only of individuals but also of the community.
Before David, the guide par excellence was Moses. For 40 years he led the people towards the promised land. But he makes a mistake, as we read in Nm 20. God had told him that if he wanted water for the people he had to “speak to the rock”. His command is a little strange, so much so that he thinks of hitting it with the rod—and immediately the water comes out. For this he will be punished: he will not enter the Holy Land. How come? Here too the matter is simple: the rock represents Israel, a hard, refractory, rebellious and obstinate people. We must speak to these people, that is, we must favour patient dialogue. Instead Moses chooses the path of authoritarianism and therefore beats the rock (Israel) with the rod (symbol of authority). The leader must always remember that the people belong to God and that the exercise of authority excludes any form of abuse of power.
There is a third quality Moses demonstrates clearly at the end of his mandate. He has concern: he asks the Lord for guidance for the people (cf. Nm 27,16-17). Then he worries that his successor will be successful (cf. Nm 27,17) to the point of handing over the reins to him with a sign of blessing (Nm 27,23). Moses does not hinder those who come after him, for Moses the people have an absolute priority.
As a pictorial reference we take Moses making water flow from the rock by Bernardino Luini, a Lombard Renaissance painter. The fresco, now preserved in the Brera, after the events of the Risorgimento, is extremely delicate. The face of Moses looks like the face of Christ—a transposition dear to the evangelist Matthew. Luther, went so far as to affirm that Jesus was the Mosissimus Moyses, that is, Moses to the “nth” degree, the supreme icon of those in history who are called to guide the holy people of God.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey