A SHEPHERD ACCORDING TO THE HEART OF GOD

Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Jn 10:11-16

The Gospel Reading today is about the Good Shepherd. It is a reading specially assigned for today’s Mass because today is the Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, who lived from 1538 through 1584.

The Gospel Reading on the Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo is about the Good Shepherd for three reasons.

First, Charles was a bishop. At age 22, his uncle, Pope Pius IV, created him a cardinal. As Archbishop of Milan, he was zealous in applying the reforms of the Council of Trent – in which he was an active participant – to his diocese. Tireless in his efforts, Charles likewise established Sunday schools, houses for the poor and the orphan, initiated record-keeping in parishes, taught the Catechism of the Council of Trent, convoked diocesan synods, and promulgated regulations intended to promote the Church’s mission. He was a true pastor to his flock. He was a good shepherd to his diocese as every bishop should be.

Second, responding to the need for a well-formed clergy, Charles was responsible for the introduction of seminary life for those who wanted to become priests. Charles lived in a time when the Church suffered great and many scandals, of which ill-trained clergy caused most. He addressed the problem by formulating a model for seminary formation of the clergy. The seminary of the Archdiocese of Manila (Philippines) is named after St. Charles Borromeo; a fitting reminder not only of the valuable contribution of the saint to the training of priests but also of the perennial need for clergy who are spiritually adept, morally upright, intellectually competent, and zealously engaged in the apostolic mission of the Church. We owe from Charles the idea of how to produce good shepherds for God’s People.

Third, in his outstanding quality as pastor of his diocese and in his intense desire to provide the Church priests of sterling qualities, Charles reminds us of Jesus Christ who is the Good Shepherd. Jesus loved those who were His own in the world. Jesus prayed that the Harvest-Master send more laborers into His harvest.

On this Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, we are grateful for the shepherds of the Church who strive to reflect to us the life and love of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Let us continue praying to the Lord of the harvest that He may continue to give us shepherds according to His heart. Let us also help the shepherds He sends us to be as good as He is.