The Divine Lamp

To view part 1 go here.
In this conflict the Bishops of the Church are our leaders as the psalmist says, “the princes of Judah are their leaders” (Ps 67:28 Douay Rheims). It falls to their office to protect the camp of the Church in the face of all attacks. They defend against sin by exposing it: “Announce to my people their transgressions, to the house of Jacob their sins” (Isa 58:1). With sound teaching they battle against heretics by: “Holding fast to the certain word as they were taught it, so that they may be able to teach sound doctrine, refuting those who contradict them” (Titus 1:9). Finally, they protect the Church against her persecutors by giving the faithful and example of patience in the face of suffering for the sake of the gospel.

Unfortunately, today there are many bishops and other clergy who do not fulfill their duties as shepherds, and this they do to their own peril: “ So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. cb(33,8); When I tell the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you don’t speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand” (Ezek 33:7-8). Paul, as he headed toward certain suffering and death said to the leaders of the Church at Miletus not to become like the failed watchman: “I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I did not shrink from declaring to all of you the whole counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood.”

What shepherd in his right mind, knowing that his Lord and Master had purchased the sheep at the price of his own blood would dare to be found with the blood of the sheep on his hands? Yet: “ The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, cb(34,2); Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? cb(34,3); You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don’t feed the sheep. cb(34,4); You haven’t strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them. cb(34,5); They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered. cb(34,6); My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill: yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was none who searched or sought. cb(34,7); Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: cb(34,8); As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep; cb(34,9); therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh: cb(34,10); Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them” (Ezek 34:1-10). But as St Paul tells us, it must needs be so: “I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. cb(20,30); Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. cb(20,31); Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears“ (Acts 20:29-31). Given this situation, what is it that St Paul admonished his converts concerning? Is it not that they pray for their shepherds? “Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; cb(4,3); praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; cb(4,4); that I may reveal it as I ought to speak“ (Col 4:2-4). And in Hebrews: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things” (Heb 13:17-18). The state of the Church is not solely the result of our leaders. Sometimes we get the leaders we deserve: “You are destroyed Israel, because you are against me, against the one who is your help. Where is your king now, that he may save you in all his cities? And your judges, of whom you said ‘Give me a king and princes?’ I have given you a king in my anger…” (Hosea 13:9-11). “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different “good news”, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough” (2 Cor 11:4).

cb(13,18)

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