This Sunday the focus is on leadership and the difference between good and bad leadership.

HOW OFTEN DO you pray for the president? It doesn’t matter if you didn’t vote for him—maybe you should pray harder for those you didn’t want to elect!

Shepherding goes back a long way in scripture. Abel was the first, and future shepherds would include an all-star list from Israelite history: Abraham, Rachel, Jacob, Moses, and David. “Shepherd” could also be a metaphor for Israelite kings, like David, or even for God.

Only God can lead us to salvation, and in prayer we express our dependence on God and God’s mercy.

"A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The handy tag-line of “Good Shepherd Sunday” could easily be expanded to include “Good and Bad Shepherds Sunday” because there’s almost as much in the readings about the latter as the former.

Today the church invites us to pray for vocations. Consider starting with a prayer about your own religious vocation.

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. —Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)