Ezekiel 34:1-11 / Matthew 20:1-16
A good leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way.
A bad leader may know the way, he may even show the way, but then he goes away.
The shepherds that the 1st reading is referring to were the leaders of the people.
They may be secular or religious leaders.
They will certainly know what is expected of them, they know what they should do - they know the way.
But instead of showing the way and leading the way, they "go away" to their own pleasures and desires and they also "go away" from the people they were put in charge of, leaving them scattered and harassed and dejected.
But God will put a stop to the misdeeds of the bad shepherds when He said: I am going to look after my flock myself and keep it all in view.
In the gospel parable, we heard of what a good leader and a good shepherd is in the form of a fair and just landowner.
He looks for the lost, the least and the last. He looks for the hopeless and the helpless.
Let us pray for our leaders and shepherds, that they will know the way, show the way and lead the way.