The child Jesus lying in the manger draws us to himself.  Connecting with him truly, we cannot but have connection with others.

We warm up easily to the figure of the shepherd because of its connection to Christmas.  And one can safely bet that shepherds do not lack likable traits.  For otherwise, there would not be the teaching that God, or his Son, is our Shepherd.

But Jesus calls himself the good Shepherd, which suggests that there are bad shepherds.  No, shepherds do not always enjoy a good reputation.

For some reason, the shepherd Abel, for example, rubs the farmer Cain the wrong way.  Surely, farmers do not like shepherds infringing on their right to their lands and crops.  And shepherds, in turn, do not like farmers to infringe on their right to pasture.

It seems, too, that shepherds are a cantankerous bunch (Gen 13, 7; Ex 2, 17).  Moreover, as a commentary says, people consider them cheats (Comentarios al Evangelio, Nº 4).  They are not only accused of entering with their animals and destroying others’ sheepfolds, but of being thieves as well.

And without doubt, observant Jews do not want to have connection with shepherds.  These keep watch over their flock even at night and on the Sabbath.  And they live far from the synagogues and the temple.  Those, then, who pray in the synagogues or in the temple, keeping strictly the Sabbath and other laws, avoid the shepherds.  Those who like to think they are blameless prefer connection only with people like themselves.

The only and truly Blameless One connects with blameworthy people to foster evangelizing connection.

In spite of the shepherds’ bad reputation, God chooses them just the same.  He reveals to them these fascinating and awesome things that he hides from the wise religious leaders in Jerusalem.  It is his wish that the shepherds connect with the baby lying in a manger.  He also wants them to contemplate the Savior of the world who reveals himself as annihilated under the form of a child (SV.EN VI:170).  For this child will bring out the best of the child in them:  innocence, simplicity, trust, capacity to wonder in awe.  They will, then, become children again.  And as children, they will see that they are not alone when good people scorn them, when the rich exploit them.  For God-with-us is with them, with his bright and warm light that overcomes the dark and cold world.

And connected with this child and keeping all these things to reflect on them, the shepherds become evangelizers.  In other words, they build extensive evangelizing connection.

Lord Jesus, revelation in person of God’s kindness and love, you come as Savior.  Grant that, true to the Eucharist that commits to the poor, we may make kind and loving connection with them.

25 December 2018
Nativity of the Lord
Is 62, 11-12; Tit 3, 4-7; Lk 2, 15-20