16th Sundary, Year B "Bad Shepherd Sunday"

Today’s readings speak about bad shepherds and good shepherds. In the first reading, Jeremiah condemns the bad shepherds who were the kings of Judah, and said, “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture. You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them.”

The psalm explains, the Lord is our shepherd who leads us to restful waters. It prefigures Jesus the Good Shepherd. As Jeremiah said, “I (the Lord) will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they no longer fear and tremble and none shall be missing.” “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock.” “I will raise up a righteous shoot to David, as King he shall govern wisely...”

In the Gospel, Jesus is the King who will gather the remnant flock. He is the King who shall govern wisely. He is the true and righteous Shepherd, whose “heart is moved with pity for the crowd”, because “they were like sheep without a shepherd”. He is “the Shepherd who appoints shepherds”. Our Lord did this when He appointed the 12 apostles, who were the first bishops and then the apostles would ordain other bishops and priests unto today. The pope is called the “Chief Shepherd of the Church”. There are many good shepherds in our diocese. Yet, in the Church there are bad shepherds. Good shepherds feed their flock with the truth and are not silent in face of danger. They warn sheep to protect them. Bad shepherds are silent in face of danger and fail to feed the sheep, the fullness of truth.

In the United States some shepherds are failing to feed the flock with the truth about Jesus in the Eucharist. A Pew Research Study states, nearly 70% of US Catholics, do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist saying it is merely symbolic. I strongly doubt this is the case in the diocese of Wichita because many parishes have Eucharistic Adoration.

Why do you think there has been a loss of faith in the Eucharist? People just don’t wake up some morning and say I don’t believe. Circumstances and events can cause people to lose faith in the Eucharist, which is the real and true body and blood of Jesus.

What I am going to do is give a list of reasons which may have contributed to the loss of faith in the Eucharist and most of these don’t apply to us.

The permitting of receiving Communion in the hand (an indult), something only Protestants would formerly do and receiving Communion standing rather than kneeling, has caused a loss of faith in the Eucharist because it is treated as ordinary food. However, to receive Communion kneeling at an altar rail and receiving on the tongue, helped people to understand, by their reverence, the Eucharist is not ordinary food, but God Himself.

During the pandemic there was a time of great fear because people were dying and it was unsure how the virus was being passed on. So it is understandable people wanted to receive on the hand. A few months ago a European study came out explaining its just as safe to receive on the tongue as the hand and is safer to receive when kneeling.

In other dioceses and throughout the USA, there is no longer ringing of bells during the consecration, no longer using incense and servers don’t use patens during Communion. These contribute to the loss of faith in the Eucharist. These actions remind us the Eucharist is beyond this world and not earthly.

The use of extraordinary ministers of Communion in an ordinary manner, perhaps due to less priests and larger parishes and also some bishops force priests to use extra ordinary ministers when the priests alone could give Communion in a reasonable time. It used to be-- only consecrated hands were permitted to touch the chalice and the Body of Christ and so when non-consecrated hands handle the most sacred of sacred, the ministerial priesthood seems ordinary.

During the pandemic in some places the concern for physical health was greater than the spiritual health of the soul and could have had a negative effect on belief in the Eucharist.

Over the past 50 years, Eucharistic processions and Holy Hours strengthened the faith of the people, but were discontinued in many parishes. But in our diocese there are perpetual adoration chapels in many parishes and most parishes have regular adoration.

In convents, some religious sisters stand, rather than kneel during the consecration, when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. And so, if they, who are brides of Christ, lack faith in the true presence, lay people can doubt.

The disappearing of Latin and Gregorian Chant at Mass. These helped people to understand the Mass is a mystery with hidden realities that cause wonder and awe with the harmony of voices and melodies. Sacred Music was replaced by secular songs. Go to Youtube and listen to Gregorian chant for the Mass and you will be uplifted.

Extra ordinary ministers of Communion no longer use the ablution bowl to dip their fingers to remove particles of the Sacred Host after giving Communion. The Church teaches every particle of the Eucharist is the whole and entire person of Jesus and so particles on fingers need to be removed in water, or they fall to the ground.

Changing the fasting discipline from midnight- the night before--- to an hour before Communion (though legitimate) has caused many to think fasting before receiving Communion is not important or good for the soul. This has caused some to drink coffee or tea or chew gum before Communion and break the fast, which is sinful. We should only take medicine or water within that hour, except for diabetics, who can take urgently take food when needed.

Priests offering the Mass without reverence and devotion in a hurried manner. Some don’t have zeal or love when offering Mass.

Over emphasizing the Mass as a meal, rather than its primary meaning of sacrifice, downplays it supernatural reality of the re-presentation of Calvary on the altar.

Bishops not enforcing canon 915, which states Communion is to be refused to persons in grave obstinate and manifest sin. Catholics who promote abortion, can cause some to think its okay to receive the Eucharist unworthily while in the state of mortal sin. St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord,...(1 Corn. 11:27)

Bad shepherds have not educated the sheep to understand they are not permitted to receive Holy Communion in mortal sin and the need to confess it before receiving Holy Communion, otherwise one commits a sacrilegious communion. Such mortal sins include missing Mass on Sunday and Holy Days (outside the pandemic), committing adultery, using birth control, viewing pornography, etc.

Over a period of time, bad shepherds have failed to warn sheep, to die in the state of mortal, without repentance, one can go to hell. In fact, when one receives Communion in the state of mortal sin, they receive no graces from Jesus in the Eucharist. But rather, offend and hurt Him and also commit a sacrilegious communion deeply wounding one’s own soul, as St. Paul says, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself” (1 Corin. 11:28).

I hate to tell you this, but, I was a product of bad shepherds. I don’t’ ever recall being told if you miss Mass on Sunday its a mortal sin. I never even heard of a mortal sin until I was 27.

If you are sitting in the pew thinking, “I didn’t know. If I commit a mortal sin, I had to first go to Confession before I receive Holy Communion.” Then welcome to the club. However, now that you know, resolve to never receive the Eucharist in the state of mortal sin, without first going to Confession. Everyone can and should attend Mass. It is good President Biden and Nancy Pelosi attend Mass, but its not good they receive Communion until they discontinue their public scandal of promoting abortion, go to confession, and then publicly recant their position. No one can judge hearts, except God. But we can and should judge public actions and if someone is committing scandal, by receiving Communion while obstinately persevering in grave manifest sin, they can cause others to lose their faith in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. And if the bishops fail to enforce Church teaching—they also can cause people to lose faith in the Eucharist.

In the Gospel Jesus said, “Come by yourself to an out away place and rest awhile.” There is no better place to rest than to come and spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. We have a Holy Hour this Thursday at 7pm. Come and be with the Good Shepherd and pray for shepherds that they will lead the sheep to a greater faith in His true presence in the Eucharist, so they will someday enjoy the restful waters of heaven.