The Heart of a Shepherd

1Tim 3:1-13, Psalm: 100, Lk 7:11-17

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, on this memorial of two great martyrs, Pope Saint Cornelius and Bishop Saint Cyprian, the Church presents us with a beautiful tapestry of God’s Word. It weaves together the lofty ideal of Christian leadership and the tender compassion of Christ, the Good Shepherd, showing us that true authority is always founded on loving service.

The first reading from Paul’s letter to Timothy lays out the blueprint for a church leader. It is a list of virtues that can feel daunting: irreproachable, temperate, self-controlled, gentle, not a lover of money. This is not a job description for a corporate executive, but the portrait of a soul fully conformed to Christ. The focus is not on power, but on character; not on personal ambition, but on the ability to “manage his own household well.” For the early Church, the integrity of one’s domestic life was a mirror of one’s capacity to care for the family of God. This is a calling to holiness first and foremost.

This model of leadership finds its ultimate source and perfect example in the Gospel. We see Jesus, the true Bishop of our souls, entering the city of Nain. He encounters a funeral procession for a widow’s only son. Saint Luke meticulously notes that “his heart was moved with pity for her.” The Greek word used here, esplanchnisthē, signifies a deep, gut-wrenching compassion. Jesus does not merely observe her pain; He enters into it completely. His word of power, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” flows directly from this heart of mercy. He restores the son to his mother, not for show, but to alleviate her suffering and secure her future, demonstrating that God’s authority is always exercised for the sake of love and life.

Saints Cornelius and Cyprian embodied this fusion of virtuous leadership and compassionate heart. In the third century, they labored to shepherd a Church fractured by the persecution of Decius. Their leadership was not about wielding power but about fostering unity, reconciling those who had fallen away, and tending to the wounds of the community. They ultimately sealed their service with their own blood, proving that the greatest love a shepherd can have is to lay down his life for his flock, just as the Master did.

For us today, this Word offers both comfort and a challenge. We are comforted to know that the Church is led by those who, despite their humanity, are called to be icons of Christ’s virtue and compassion. We are challenged because this call to virtuous and compassionate service extends through Baptism to all of us. We may not be bishops, but we are all called to manage the “household” of our own hearts and families with integrity, temperance, and gentleness. We are all sent to be agents of Christ’s compassion in the world.

How often do we encounter the “widows of Nain” in our own lives—those who are walking in a procession of grief, loneliness, or despair? Do we, like the Lord, allow our hearts to be moved with pity? Do we then draw near and offer a word of hope, a gesture of comfort, or a practical act of love that restores life?

As Pope Francis reminds us, “Priests, and indeed all of us, must be shepherds with the smell of the sheep.” This means getting close enough to people to share their joys and their pains.

May the intercession of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian inspire all our leaders, and each one of us, to lead with virtue and to serve with a heart pierced by compassion. For it is in the fruitful unity of these two—right teaching and loving action—that we truly proclaim, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” Amen.