When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
How moving it is to see the selfless heart of Christ! There are two things that this shows us. The one is how much is he loves us and feels sorry when we don't receive the care and guidance we need. He himself intervenes in such situations. When we don't have the shepherds we need we can look to Jesus to provide. The other is that we too need to have hearts for the abandoned, for the lost, for the sheep who do not know their shepherd.
How does Jesus resolve the problem from lost sheep? At first, "he began to teach them many things." Jesus himself is the truth from the Father. Being lost and not knowing the truth are the same. Feeling abandoned and not knowing the Father are the same. The word of Jesus heals our minds and our hearts. It heals the division between us and God and between us and the world. The truth leads, by necessity, to the cross. The cross is the truth of God's love for us. It is the truth of the union between God and man that God himself desires.
For he is our peace, he who made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
The truth which Jesus proclaims, which is also an action, is the condition of unity. Without it we can't abide in God and he in us. Without it there will always be dividing walls between peoples. But through the cross itself Jesus preaches the peace of God. On the cross Jesus declares a new and eternal peace.
Jesus teaches us. He brings us peace by dying for us. Because of the cross he can be the shepherd that the whole world needs and for which the whole world longs.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
"The LORD our justice."
We must in turn follow the example of Jesus. We hear shepherd and probably think priest. But there are ways in which all of us our shepherds. Little children can enter into this truth. The aged can as well. No one is excluded. We are all called to have hearts for the truth, hearts that desire unity and peace, and hearts that are willing to endure hardship that these things may come about.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.
All shepherds must rely on the Good Shepherd if they don't want to mislead and scatter the flocks in their care. But we need not fear. Even if we feel lost or abandoned our shepherd is not far from any of us. He is near at hand and offers us the sweetness of his guidance.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
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