As Catholics worldwide celebrated the 16th Sunday of the year, Year B; in which the readings talked about Good Shepherd (Jer 23:1-6; Ps 23; Eph 2:13-18 & Mark 6:30-34); a Josephite’s priest, Rev. Fr. Justine Adeka, CSJ has called on Christians to pray for our political leaders whom he said often exploit and divide the citizens as they benefit from such division among the citizens.

The cleric who said this during his homily on Sunday 21st July 2024 at St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan further stated the need to emulate leadership style of Jesus Christ, since each and every one of us is a leader at one level or the other.

Fr. Adeka, who said the day’s readings identified Christ as a Good Shepherd who cares and offers His life for all invited all to be good shepherd and also to pray for good leadership in the Church and the country.

The priest described Christ’s use of the analogy of a good shepherd as sensible since during His time, it was common to have a flock of sheep. Sheep, he added is a symbol of innocent, fragile and easily consumed by wolves except the shepherd is good.

The cleric frowned at leaders, who fail to nurture, nourish and care for the sheep not only in the Church but also in our society at large. He therefore admonished all to embrace the qualities of a good shepherd as listed by Saint Paul in the second reading.

Such qualities include: Uniting his people, breaking down barriers that divide people, building bridges that reconcile the people and selflessly pouring out himself for his people. “This Christ did by pouring His own blood. Each of us is to take an example from Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.

Hence, in the Gospel, people still followed Christ and His apostles to a lonely place where they wanted to go and take some rest. His teaching was truth because He was truth Himself.”

Fr. Adeka in conclusion said Christ knows everything about us and wants to care for us. Hence, each of us as leader at different levels must take inspiration from Our Lord who not just sacrificed His time but also His blood.