Shepherds from family, Church and society

In his book, The City of God, St. Augustine consoles Christians that even if the earthly rule of the Roman Empire was imperiled, the City of God would ultimately triumph. For Augustine, history’s warfare between good and evil is guided by Divine Providence, so that all aspirations, political governance included, may find fulfilment in doing the will of God.

Building that heavenly city in our time, we offer today all mothers, who share in being the first teachers to fulfill God’s plan, to God’s hands. “Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they [parents] educate their children to fulfill God’s law.” (CCC 2222)

As we pray for vocations today, Good Shepherd Sunday, may all of us who “are called by the Lord to that perfection of sanctity by which the Father himself is perfect,” find in our ordained ministers examples of true and undefiled servant-leadership.

On the eve of national and local elections, we also entrust to the Lord our privilege to choose government authorities to lead and serve us in the field of politics. May we listen to our conscience so that we may elect those who truly believe that “authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it.” (CCC 1903)