Office Of Readings | Thursday, Lent Week 1 | From A Homily By Saint Asterius Of Amasea, Bishop

Office Of Readings | Thursday, Lent Week 1 | From A Homily By Saint Asterius Of Amasea, Bishop

‘Be shepherds like the Lord.’

Who Was Saint Asterius Of Amasea?

Saint Asterius of Amasea, a Cappadocian bishop of the late fourth and early fifth centuries, was known for his eloquent preaching and sharp moral critique of societal excess. Originally trained in law, his rhetorical skills and philosophical grounding—drawing from Platonic and Stoic traditions—infused his sermons with both intellectual depth and pastoral urgency. His homilies frequently addressed themes of social justice, calling for the responsible use of wealth and a commitment to the marginalized. His concern was not only theological but deeply practical, challenging Christians to embody the faith they professed through concrete acts of love and mercy.

The reading for today exemplifies this pastoral concern. Asterius begins with a fundamental Christian truth: that humanity is made in the image of God. This theological foundation is not meant to remain an abstract principle but must translate into action. To be made in God’s image is to be called to imitate His example, particularly in love. Asterius underscores that the very name ‘Christian’ implies a commitment to love, and this love is not passive sentiment but active pursuit—seeking out the lost, lifting up the fallen, and rejoicing in their restoration.

Central to the reading is the parable of the lost sheep, a narrative that Asterius expands upon with vivid imagery. The shepherd, symbolic of Christ, does not remain with the ninety-nine who are safe but embarks on a strenuous search for the one who has strayed. This pursuit is neither indifferent nor conditional; the shepherd traverses mountains, valleys, and wilderness, enduring hardship until the lost sheep is found. The response upon finding it is striking: there is no rebuke, no punishment—only tender care. The shepherd does not drive the sheep back with force but lifts it onto his shoulders, carrying it home in an act of intimate mercy. The joy over its return surpasses even the security of the ninety-nine.

Asterius draws out the moral imperative of the parable. The shepherd is an image not only of Christ but of every Christian called to reflect God’s love. The lesson is clear: no one is to be dismissed as irredeemable, no one is to be abandoned in their error. Rather than condemning or shunning those who have wandered, believers must take up the role of the shepherd—pursuing, guiding, and restoring those who have lost their way. This is not a begrudging duty but a source of joy, for true Christian love delights in reconciliation and renewal.

This reading resonates with Asterius’s broader social teaching. He was deeply critical of those who hoarded wealth or lived in self-indulgence while others suffered. He understood Christianity not merely as a system of beliefs but as a lived reality, where faith is expressed in works of justice and mercy. His words challenge modern readers as much as they did his contemporaries. Do we seek out those who have fallen, or do we leave them behind? Do we take joy in the redemption of others, or do we silently judge from a distance? Asterius’s message calls for self-examination, urging us to embody the generosity and patience of the Good Shepherd.

From A Homily By Saint Asterius Of Amasea, Bishop

You were made in the image of God. If then you wish to resemble him, follow his example. Since the very name you bear as Christians is a profession of love for men, imitate the love of Christ.

Reflect for a moment on the wealth of his kindness. Before he came as a man to be among men, he sent John the Baptist to preach repentance and lead men to practise it. John himself was preceded by the prophets, who were to teach the people to repent, to return to God and to amend their lives. Then Christ came himself, and with his own lips cried out: Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. How did he receive those who listened to his call? He readily forgave them their sins; he freed them instantly from all that troubled them. The Word made them holy; the Spirit set his seal on them. The old Adam was buried in the waters of baptism; the new man was reborn to the vigour of grace.

What was the result? Those who had been God’s enemies became his friends, those estranged from him became his sons, those who did not know him came to worship and love him.

Let us then be shepherds like the Lord. We must meditate on the Gospel, and as we see in this mirror the example of zeal and loving kindness, we should become thoroughly schooled in these virtues.

For there, obscurely, in the form of a parable, we see a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. When one of them was separated from the flock and lost its way, that shepherd did not remain with the sheep who kept together at pasture. No, he went off to look for the stray. He crossed many valleys and thickets, he climbed great and towering mountains, he spent much time and labour in wandering through solitary places until at last he found his sheep.

When he found it, he did not chastise it; he did not use rough blows to drive it back, but gently placed it on his own shoulders and carried it back to the flock. He took greater joy in this one sheep, lost and found, than in all the others.

Let us look more closely at the hidden meaning of this parable. The sheep is more than a sheep, the shepherd more than a shepherd. They are examples enshrining holy truths. They teach us that we should not look on men as lost or beyond hope; we should not abandon them when they are in danger or be slow to come to their help. When they turn away from the right path and wander, we must lead them back, and rejoice at their return, welcoming them back into the company of those who lead good and holy lives.