As we enter the first full week of Lent, the Church calls us to meditate on the divine solicitude of Christ, the Good Shepherd, and the ultimate standard of our judgment at the end of time. The readings for Feria Secunda infra Hebdomadam I in Quadragesima—Ezekiel 34:11-16 and Matthew 25:31-46—present a striking contrast between the tender mercy of God and His righteous judgment. This juxtaposition invites us to a deeper understanding of both His providence and our moral responsibility.
The Shepherd Who Seeks His Sheep
In Ezekiel 34, the Lord declares:
“Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out My sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (Ezek. 34:11-12)
This passage is a promise of divine restoration, given at a time when Israel had suffered under corrupt shepherds—leaders who cared for themselves rather than for the flock. St. Augustine, in his commentary on Psalm 34, sees in this passage a prophecy of Christ, the true Shepherd who comes to seek His lost sheep:
“The evil shepherds sought what was theirs, not what was Christ’s. They enjoyed the milk and clothed themselves with the wool, but they did not care for the sheep. But behold, He Himself has come, the true Shepherd, to gather the straying, to heal the wounded, to strengthen the weak.” (Enarrationes in Psalmos, 34)
During Lent, we are called to recognize Christ as our Shepherd who seeks us out, leading us from the darkness of sin into the pastures of grace. But the Gospel passage from Matthew 25 reminds us that this tender care comes with a moral imperative: to imitate His mercy in our treatment of others.
The Judgment of the Nations
In Matthew 25:31-46, Our Lord reveals the criteria by which He will judge the world:
“Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in.” (Matt. 25:34-35)
Here, Christ identifies Himself with the least of His brethren. St. John Chrysostom, reflecting on this passage, remarks:
“Christ hides Himself in the poor, that we may not be ashamed when we serve them but rather rejoice, knowing that in ministering to them, we minister to Christ Himself.” (Homilies on Matthew, 79.2)
This teaching is particularly poignant during Lent, a season of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. Just as Christ seeks the lost sheep, He calls us to seek out the needy, to be instruments of His mercy. St. Gregory the Great exhorts us to consider how our treatment of others will be weighed at the Last Judgment:
“The works of mercy are the keys to the kingdom, for without them, no one shall enter therein. What shall we say to the Judge if we have not fed the hungry, clothed the naked, or comforted the afflicted?” (Homiliae in Evangelia, 9)
Lenten Call to Action
The readings of today’s Lenten liturgy remind us that we are both sheep in need of the Shepherd’s care and shepherds to our brothers and sisters in need. We must allow Christ to seek us out, to heal our wounds, and to guide us to green pastures—but we must also respond by showing mercy to others.
As we journey through Lent, let us:
- Examine our hearts – Are we truly allowing Christ to shepherd us, or are we resisting His grace?
- Imitate the Good Shepherd – Are we caring for the weak, the lost, and the suffering as Christ does?
- Prepare for the Last Judgment – Are we living in such a way that we will hear, “Come, ye blessed of My Father”, rather than, “Depart from Me, ye cursed”?
May this season of penance transform our hearts so that, on the Last Day, we may stand among the sheep at His right hand, welcomed into the eternal pastures of His kingdom.
Domine, pastor meus, duxisti me in semitis justitiae propter nomen tuum. (O Lord, my Shepherd, Thou hast led me in the paths of justice for Thy Name’s sake.) (Ps. 22:3)