16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wow. I really haven't been doing well with keeping up with my posts!
This was Deacon Weekend...the Deacons were in charge of the Homilies.
With everything going on in the news lately, the 1st Reading really grabbed my attention, especially the "opener":
JER 23:1-4
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD. 
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. 
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds. 
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply. 
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

The Deacon at the Mass I attended talked about the WWJD bracelets that were so popular some years ago. He talked about how, when it's his time to stand in front of God, he wants to be able to say he did and said everything he possibly could. He talked about how it's our responsibility as Christians to stand up for our beliefs.
As for those bracelets: I think it's time to bring them back.