Word on Fire is brought to you by Catholic cemeteries, serving the Chicago area since 1837.

This is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to reflect with Father Robert Baron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Baron will challenge us to open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's Word of Love for each of us.

If our hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us, so that we might speak with love about the One who is Love.

The Archdiocese of Chicago through the generosity of Sacred Heart Parish and Winetka now presents the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you.

Friends, whenever the biblical authors talk about shepherds, they're talking about kings and kingship.

Shepherd was one of the most common images for leadership in the ancient world, and the biblical authors certainly pick up on this.

In our readings today, we hear from the prophet Jeremiah, and we hear a biblical commonplace.

God's complaint about bad shepherds, and that means bad leaders.

Those who care, not for the sheep, but for themselves.

Listen now to Jeremiah.

Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture.

You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.

You have not cared for them.

Oh, you can hear much the same thing, by the way, in Isaiah, in the Psalms, especially in Ezekiel.

But then we hear the promise.

Again, this is Jeremiah.

I, myself, will gather the remnant of my flock and bring them back to the meadow.

Here's God speaking, and that wonderful.

It's God speaking.

You know you've got bad leaders, bad shepherds.

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