No Country for Old Shepherds
Ed Tom: You got a dog in this hunt?
Sheriff Bell: Not really. A couple of kids from my county that might be sort of involved that ought not to be.
Ed Tom: Sort of involved
Sheriff Bell: Yeah
Ed Tom: Are we talkin kin?
Sheriff Bell: No. Just people from my county. People I’m supposed to be lookin after.
I was recently listening to the audiobook No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy and this line hit me.
In this part of the story, Sheriff Bell is following the trail of bodies left behind by killers on the search for Llewelyn Moss who is a blue collar local that stumbled across the aftermath of a drug deal gone awry. He ended up with a satchel of money and is on the run from the drug dealers and psychopathic killer Chigurh trying to get the money back.
Bell is concerned about Llewelyn and trying to genuinely help him – going the extra mile to keep following the case even though it’s far beyond his jurisdiction. Bell often narrates parts of the story and talks about how he comes from a long line of law enforcement officers in the hard desert country. He talks about they saw themselves as entrusted with the care of the communities they lived and worked in – and the hardships, death, and confusing levels of evil they often faced.
The last part of that quote was something that hit me as to the heart of a Catholic priest. A priest is entrusted with all the souls assigned to his parish boundaries – believers and non-believers alike. I think Sheriff Bell has exactly that kind of concern – a shepherd for all the people in his care. Whether they want it or not.
Do we see our jobs, and those we interact with or work with as coworkers, as in our care as well? Do we have the heart of a shepherd with our children and those we serve? Do we act in ways that demonstrates the truth, love, and compassion that Jesus had for those he interacted with while in our jobs and families? All too often, jobs are seen as just ways to make lots of money, gain power and fame, get accolades and attention, or climb to the top and lord it over others.
This is not what we are called to be as Christians. The call of the world is to become the center of attention – in charge of things, in command, taking power and making lots of money.
Instead, we must turn into servant leadership. We are to become less, so others may become more. We become less, so Christ may carry us unweighted with earthly attachments to heaven. We become less, so God can act more. But we must get ourselves and our egos out of the way. What we are called to can be found in the Litany of Humility:
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
