CHRIST IS MY SHEPHERD
Christ is my Good Shepherd, and Pope Leo XIV is his representative on earth and Pastor of his Church! Habemus Papam! What a beautiful moment in the history of our Church, a season, our Resurrected Christ, the Good Shepherd, blesses us with a new Pope: the Chief Pastor of His Church!
Our greatest duty and responsibility as Catholics is to pray for the pastors of our souls, especially for our newly elected Pope Leo XIV. May God, who chose him as the Leader and Guide of his Church, bless, protect, and keep him in his love and grace. Equally, may his strength never fail to nourish, lead, and protect Christ’s sheep.
CHRIST: THE GOOD SHEPHERD LOVES AND CARES FOR US
Traditionally, the fourth Sunday after Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday, when we pray for vocations to priestly and religious life. And by additional marital life, since the good shepherd role is also in the family.
A good shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects and protects his flock—responsibilities that belong to every Church leader and head of family, group, society, community, institution, and country.
OUR THEME: CHRIST IS MY SHEPHERD
The readings of the fourth Sunday of Easter invite us to reflect on the theme of pasturing in the Christian community. They point to the need to imitate the Good Shepherd or Pastor: Jesus Christ, who leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects his sheep. The shepherd who dies and rises from the dead to give eternal life to his sheep.
FIRST READING: ACTS 13:14, 43-52
In Acts 13:14. 43-52, Paul and Barnabas opted to listen to the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd and follow him, and like their Master, they were rebuffed and rejected when they tried to share the good news of salvation.
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and made an impact; a great deal and characteristic of the Good Shepherd who sometimes must stand against institutionalised evil in the name of God, must endure persecution, conspiracy, and rejection amidst sacrifices with joy and gladness in the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
PSALM 99 OR 100
Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 100) reminds us that “…the Lord is God: He made us, His we are – His people, the flock He tends.” This invites us to an attitude of trust and dependence on God.
It is like Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd which drives home the lovely theme of today´s celebration. It is a prayerful psalm packed full with God´s providences, guidance, protection, defence, blessings and choicest favours on us who rely upon, trust and believe in Him.
It is a serene and peaceful palm that evokes trust and courage in God amidst fear, worries and uncertainties of life.
SECOND READING: REVELATION. 7:9, 14-17
The book of Revelation 7 9 14-17 depicts Jesus as both the glorified Lamb and the Shepherd. A vision of inclusion of all nations, races, languages, and people; a vision of victory through the Immaculate Lamb and a vision of care, comfort and strength of the Good Shepherd.
A good shepherd is not limited to his kind alone, but to every nation; to all tribes, races, people and languages. He is a unifying centre and not a source of dissension among the led. Equally, he knows and sees his flock through the great ordeal of life to rest, an abundance of pasture, springs of reposeful water and above all wipe every tear, pain, hardship and suffering from their eyes.
THE GOSPEL: JOHN. 10: 27-30
The Gospel John 10: 27-30 offers us both comfort and a great challenge. The comforting message is that no one can snatch the sheep out of His Father’s hands. The challenge is that pastors and laypeople alike should be good shepherds to those entrusted to their care.
For Jesus, there is an undefinable connection between a shepherd and his sheep. One that is personal, respectful, understanding, loving, interdependent, protective, mutual, and fraternal, as well as committed to service and faithfulness.
THE IMAGERY OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Though the imagery of the good shepherd is old, the message is topical and relevant to us here and now. The concept of the Good Shepherd is one of the most beautiful titles of Jesus Christ in the Bible. It reminds us of a God-man who is loving, caring, tender, and empathetic with us.
Jesus Christ, like a good shepherd, gave his life for his sheep, knew them personally, and passionately took care of them. He did this without hidden motives or personal interests like the hired man.
NATURE OF PASTORING AND TASK OF PASTORS
The shepherd´s job in the steep and narrow plateau of Judea, with the ground dipping sharply down to the craggy deserts, was a very strenuous.
1. First, he has to look for greener pastures, water, and safe zones to keep the sheep safe so they do not wander away.
2. He has to guide and protect the sheep from dangerous animals like wolves and hyenas, howling day and night to attack, scatter, and kill the sheep.
3. There is also the human danger of thieves and robbers always ready to steal the sheep and sometimes attack the shepherd.
4. There is a total and complete self-giving of the shepherd to the welfare of the sheep, not for gain, but self-sacrifice, constant, unceasing vigilance, fearless courage, and patient love for his flock.
By implication, Christ as a Good Shepherd is a Model for all shepherds or pastors of souls. A good pastor, priest or presbyter: –
1. Have a personal, not professional, relationship with his flock
2. Gives or lays down his life sacrificially for his flock without living on or exploiting them or counting the cost or pain.
3. Know his flock personally and guide them on the right path, Ps. 23
4. He is soft and tender towards the rebelling sheep and cares for them like the obedient ones.
5. Look after the general well-being of his flock and ensure their security and safety.
6. His calling is voluntary/a true vocation, not a necessity to survive professionally.
7. He lives an exemplary life for the flock to follow in his steps.
8. He leads and guides the sheep with truth, honesty and firmness and not with a conforming attitude.
9. “A good shepherd has the smell of the people (sheep)”, Pope Francis.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD IMPLIES ALSO THE GOOD SHEEP
In a divide-and-rule world where the fundamental principles of governance are divisions, segregation, and discrimination, this Sunday’s Good Shepherd theme challenges us to the unity of one flock as God´s family and to be responsible as shepherds or as sheep.
Equally, the concept of a good shepherd or pastor also implies the notion of good sheep or followers, who must identify, know, and follow the shepherd or pastor.
PASTURING REALITY OF OUR TIME
The biggest difference between a true shepherd and a hireling is empathy and the spirit of sacrifice.
There is no doubt that many a pastor today is embittered, disgruntled, as well as careless towards their flock.
Many hirelings are posting as pastors who are not only cruel and deceitful, but also criminally minded or oriented to exploiting the Sheep of God in their innocence.
Pastors whose “eye-services” of their care and love for the sheep are in the eyes of the media and social media rather than an authentic empathetic relationship between a pastor and a sheep.
Pastors who use the psychology of fear, God´s wrath or anointing or divine mandate to terrorise, abuse, manipulate, intimidate, curse and control the poor, innocent, and desperate masses in the name of God.
Rather than spiritually uplifting their flock to a sense of spiritual consciousness and independence, growth and development, as Jesus the Good Shepherd did with souls searching for God. (John 3:1–21; 4:4–42)
It is also evidence many a pastor are distant, legalistic and minimalistic with their love and care for their sheep.
They are arm-chaired pastors from the comfort of their office dashing out orders and demands to agents of pastoral units without any encounter with the flock.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD IMPLICATIONS FOR PRIESTS AND PASTORS TODAY
Consequently, the Good Shepherd´s challenge to priests and pastors today working in the Lord´s vineyard is that there is no room for a power-drunk or authority-conscious priest or pastor who would rather have control and dominance than delegated or collaborative ministry with his fellow priests or pastors or lay people.
A pastor should not see the priestly or pastorally ministry as a place of competition, envy, or jealousy among or with his fellow’s priests or pastors.
As collaborative pastors in the vineyard must know they are not rivals but collaborative pastors or priests with Christ, the Chief Shepherd of his Church.
It is not the matter of competition of who is more powerful, more famous or popular, more like by the people or parishioners but how is more dispose or reachable pastorally without legality or red-tape bureaucracies.
The good shepherd concept challenges the mentality of clericalism among pastors or priest who feel special or solicit special treatment as such from the flock.
Or that sometimes project “godly” or unapproachable fear of the pastors by his flock. The shepherd-sheep relationship is not built on fear or clericalism but mutual respect and love.
The priesthood or “pastorhood” is not an elevated or privileged position to affluence and power but to service and care of Christ´s flock.
It also challenges their weaponizing of the sheep to be divided among their pastors or priests, the mentality of divide and conquer, and division in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 3: 1-23).
Many a pastor specialized in dividing the people of God against each other or against their pastors just for selfish gain.
There is no room for unhealthy pastoral zealousness to be in charge or control of everything to the exclusion of other collaborative pastors, priests or people.
A shepherd should not be a tyrant or dictator over co-shepherds for his frontline role in pasturing, but an animator who helps them to give or become their best in pasturing.
A good pastor should have zeal and be vigilant to keep safe and protect his flock from “wolfing” pastors or sheep who disguise themselves, “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. These are abusive pastors, and sometimes, sheep who are abusive and manipulative.
Sheep who plot against their pastors, foment divisions in the Church and sometimes allow themselves to be used a “flying monkeys” to narcissistic pastors or individuals who are enemies of God´s project.
THE NEED TO PRAY FOR VOCATIONS
Good Shepherd Sunday or the Vocation Sunday, is an opportunity to think and pray about the priestly ministry of the Catholic Church. As well as to examine the reasons why vocation to the priestly life is dwindling at rocket speed globally.
And to pray for vocations as well as for pastors or priests entrusted by God to shepherd is his flock: the Church of Christ.
It is a Sunday of reflection and prayer. Let us beseech Christ to raise good pastors or shepherds who will lay down their lives for their sheep.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
As today we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we need to ask ourselves two important questions:
1. Am I a faithful member of God’s flock? In other words. Am I as good a sheep?
2. How could I participate more closely in the work of shepherding God’s flock?
3. Do you know that we are all shepherds of souls: bishops, priests, or pastors, parents, as well as Sunday school teachers, catechists, pastoral agents and ushers or church wardens?
4. How can I be a better shepherd in my state, reaching out with understanding and compassion to the weak and misguided dropouts of church and society, so that through me they may hear the loving voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd?
We all participate in various forms of shepherding God’s flock. Remember, only those sheep who follow the guidance of the shepherd could ever hope to arrive at the green pastures or be safe from the ravenous wolves.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, as a Good Shepherd, you did not fleece, milk or feed on your sheep or practice any form of priest-crafting over them, but laid down your life for their well-being, prosperity and abundance. Help us to be true shepherds and responsible sheep in the sheepfold of the human society, the Church, and the family. Amen.
