Welcome to an excitingly different way of looking at faith and spirituality...

HOME
Today's Email
Go to Our Forum – the heart of Catholica
Subscribe
Pray-as-you-go Podcast
About Us
Contact Us
Donate
Advertise with us
Forum Guidelines
Index of Lead Commentaries
Index of News
Editorials
Multi-media Index
Website Design, Video Production and Journalism
Index of all Contributors
Cliff Baxter
Dawn Bowie
Rosemary Canavan
Fr Patrick Collins
Dr Paul Collins
Brian Coyne
Tom Scott
Fr Daniel Donovan
Dr Ian Elmer
Dr Graham English
Vince Exley
Kerry Gonzales
Daniel Gullotta
Dr Andrew Kania
Kate
Ted Mason
Milly/Amanda McKenna
Fr John McKinnon
Tom McMahon
Fr Kevin Murphy
Fr John O'Keefe
Dr Anthony Padovano
Peregrinus
Bishop Pat Power
Holy Irritant/Tony Robertson
Christine Roussel
Alan Simpson
Andrea Snashall
Prof Len Swidler
Theologos
Wendy
Occasional Contributions
Lighter Material & Satire
Cliff's Menagerie
Cindy the Sacristan
View from the Cloister
Ruth
Farmer Jack
Phoebe
Joke Archive
Index to Special Series
In-depth Interviews with Catholic Leaders
Dr Peter Tannock
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Bishop Kevin Manning
Michael Morwood
Bishop Geoffrey Robinson
First 500 Years
Seven Deadlies
Catholic Education
Youth Perspectives
Spirituality of Thomas Merton
Sunday Reflections
OnLine Catholics Archives
Catholics for Ministry
Catholica Commentary by Ted Mason - Shepherds get a Poor Press
TED MASON...
Why do the Shepherds get such a bad press?

Middle Eastern shepherds do not make the A list…

Of all the figures gathered around the Christmas crib, the most unlikely group has to be the shepherds. Notwithstanding the Old Testament image of the young David, and the gospel image of the Good Shepherd, Middle Eastern shepherds do not belong on the A list.

A Happy Christmas from all of us at Catholica AustraliaSchoolchildren know this intuitively. My grandchildren tell me the roles of the shepherds in the school Nativity play are not regarded highly. The plum roles are Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men and the angels. It's automatically assumed that if you're picked as a shepherd, you will not have a speaking part and the costume and make-up mothers will make you look as scruffy and unkempt as possible. And yet the original shepherds held centre stage during an entire act of this unfolding drama.

These men are poor, dirty, probably very smelly, shiftless day labourers, not known for their honesty and most likely carrying the stigma of "unclean". It is this motley group that learns first of Jesus' birth and his saving role for humankind. Mary and Joseph hear this momentous news, not from angels, but from shepherds. It is the shepherds who are the first messengers of God's saving presence!

So why are these shepherds so special? You and I probably wouldn't walk on the same side of the street as them; I certainly wouldn't give any of them a lift in my car, and our dog Jesse wouldn't let them past the front gate. These shepherds are ignorant, they know nothing of the Law, and certainly don't observe it. Yet God chooses these people to be the first human proclaimers of the Good News! Our shepherds are very important people.

Perhaps now is the time to look for our own "shepherd" within and start taking some notice. Perhaps there's a part of us that is "dirty" and "unkempt" and "isolated" from the rest of humanity, waiting patiently for the Good News; news that will bring us into God's presence and his saving, freeing power. Perhaps there's a part of us that ignores the presence of God in our daily lives because we have been trapped by that scourge of modern society, " being busy". Time to meet our shepherd.

The shepherds on the hillside that night were not bothered by shopping, parking, office parties or Christmas card lists. Their isolation served one good purpose, they were able to hear the Good News free from distractions, a message that was clear and unambiguous.

As you approach the crib this Christmas why not join the shepherds and listen to the angels proclaim the Good News to you; the news you so desperately need to hear. Then go off and tell others.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Have a great Christmas.

Ted Mason

“The shepherds on the hillside that night were not bothered by shopping, parking, office parties or Christmas card lists. Their isolation served one good purpose, they were able to hear the Good News free from distractions, a message that was clear and unambiguous.” ...Ted Mason
 

TED MASON is a residential member of Shalom, the Bathurst Diocesan House of Prayer at Carcoar. For over thirty years members of the Shalom Community have been involved in Parish renewal programmes in many parishes within the Bathurst Diocese and elsewhere..

What are your thoughts on Ted's commentary or Brian's response? You can contribute to the discussion in our forum.

©2007 Ted Mason

[Index of Commentaries by Ted Mason]

 
Aquinas Academy 2008 Common Good Lecture - Hon Fred Chaney AO 17 Sep 2008
Thank you for visiting Catholica
This site was developed and is maintained by
Vias Tuas Communications
www.viastuas.net.au

Click here to email the Webmaster
www.google.com

Catholica Web

GOOGLE ADVERTISING
Catholica Australia does not necessarily endorse these advertisers. Please use appropriate caution and notify us of inappropriate ads.

DONATE HERE