What does it mean for those in Holy Orders to ‘feed the Church?’
Even as Christ Jesus is the “chief Shepherd” (1Pe 5:4; see Q259, Q306), those who serve after his likeness share in the same task: to care for the Lord’s spiritual sheep and protect them from danger: “Jesus said to Peter the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’… And Peter replied, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep!’” (Joh 21:17; see Q233).
Caring for the flock also entails care for the material needs of the “household of faith”: “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?” (Jas 2:15–16; see the Study: God and Economics; see Q462).
