Crooks and Bishops

 

Sermon for the second Sunday after Easter

We’ve all felt threatened
when the bishop reaches out his hand
for his crosier.

That large wooden
shepherd’s hook looks
as if it could do some
mighty damage
and, often,
you may wonder legitimately
whether it is used for dragging
an errant dean
or archdeacon out of the pulpit
in the middle of
their very boring
“blah blah blah” sermons.

Of course,
you know that
the crosier is a symbol
for the pastoral office
of the bishop. 

It is a form of
the shepherd’s crook
used for
managing the sheep,
pulling them out of danger,
protecting them against predators 

and,
while not used for grabbing
and clonking hungry wolves
on the head,
it serves as a walking stick
to steady the shepherd
over hill and dale.

Today,
as we reflect upon
Christ the Good Shepherd,
we think of how appropriate it is
for bishops to carry the crosier.

They have to embody
the life of the good shepherd
and not that of the hireling.

The shepherd invests himself 
in the welfare of the sheep,

even lying down,
in front of the doorway
to the sheepfold
acting as a door
keeping sheep in
and dangers out.

Hirelings 
have no investment in the sheep
whatsoever.

Their only concern 
is that they get their pay
at the end of the day
and go home.

The Good Shepherd does not,
but lives his life
with the sheep in his care.

Only the shepherd 
needs the crosier
for he uses it 
to demonstrate 
his investment in the sheep.

The hireling
does not care if
a sheep gets injured
- there are others.

The hireling
does care if a wolf enters the scene
because he then scarpers
leaving the flock 
rather than confront the evil.

The hireling 
needs only a simple stick 
to steady himself,
but then, 
he wouldn't need to wander
in treacherous places
where he might fall down.

The hireling 
is not worthy of a crook.

The hireling 
is not worthy of a crosier.

[PAUSE]

We can be sure
that a bishop who wields
his crosier well
will grab us
when we go astray
through his sound learning
and concern for our spiritual growth. 

He will stand up
and clonk evil on the head
with the authority given to him
through the Apostles
by Our Lord Jesus Christ,
and he will use the strength
of the Good Shepherd
to steady himself
on the rough terrain of life. 

As Psalm 23 says of Christ,
“His rod and staff comfort me.”
and He has given that staff
to us in the crosier.

[PAUSE]

We must,

therefore ensure that 
we choose our bishops with care.

We will see their suitability
by what they invest 
of themselves in the Church.

We shall see them
in how they are prepared
to lay themselves down
for the sheep 
entrusted to them.

To them will be given 
the crosier

and this crosier is not given
by men
but by God
for the bishop to exercise
authority over the Church.

The crosier is passed down
from bishop to bishop
just as the authority is passed down
from bishop to bishop
beginning with the Holy Apostles
and their great commission 
to make disciples of all lands.

[PAUSE]

We pray for our bishops

in the onerous nature 
of what has been entrusted to them.

They may fall
like any one of us
but the good bishop
will pick himself up,
dust himself down
and start all over again
seeking the good of his flock.

The hireling will not.

If a hireling falls,
he will cover it up
pull rank 
and blame everyone else.

[PAUSE]

The hireling is a crook.
The bishop holds a crook.

That's the crucial difference.