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In the lessons for today, we hear the call for a "good shepherd" in Jeremiah and that God would raise one up, and Jesus having compassion on the people because they were like "sheep without a shepherd."

We call Jesus the "Good Shepherd." In John 10, Jesus speaks at length using imagery about what that meant to him. In Mark, we don't have any statements by Jesus, only actions.

He sees the people and has compassion for them.

(Compassion is the "C" in our GRACE and a definition of it is: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.)

The people were sick and hungry. He didn't call them names, question their motives or real need, denigrate them on the basis of their condition, or just tell them to get lost. In fact, when the disciples were after Jesus to tell the people to go away and get food for themselves, he simply told them (commanded them really), "You give them something to eat."

He was teaching and leading with compassion. The same thing he did when he sent out the disciples to heal in the previous chapter.  He kept healing, but he expanded the group to be able to do more, and to prepare them for when he wouldn't be around anymore to do it.

He modeled compassion. He led by example as a way of fulfilling what Jeremiah proclaimed, "I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord."

The "other" shepherds of the day would exclude people based on who they were, where they were from, or their condition of life. They would proclaim and use fear to keep people in line and make them act like they wanted them to act.  If people were "missing," it was because they weren't the "chosen," and they were unclean, Gentiles, sick, poor, or just women.  

If people were dismayed by a situation, well it was entirely because they must be to blame for it. If people were afraid, maybe that would get them "in line." Definitely not "good shepherds" to follow.

May we learn compassion from the Good Shepherd, and may we share that same grace as from the one who gives it to all.