THE GOOD SHEPHERD DIES FOR HIS SHEEP
The Resurrected Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. 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.
Traditionally, the fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It is also called the Vocation Sunday. Hence, it is the Catholic World Day of Prayer for Vocations and the Pope, bishops, priests and faith leaders in different capacities in the Church.
Notably, it is not just vocations to consecrated life: priestly and religious. It is also the vocation to human life, the Christian life as well as matrimonial and single life.
There is an unquestionable doubt that the world needs shepherds, good and empathetic shepherds who not only lay their lives for others. But also who could genuinely and authentically feel, relate, and connect to their sheep and their daily situations. This is the challenge the risen Christ presents to us as the Easter people.
The Good Shepherd leads exemplarily. This is what Jesus did. This is what he calls us to do and be in a Christian community or world. Where words are meaningless and unfulfilling characterize the Christian life than concrete actions of exemplary living.
OUR THEME
There is no beautiful and consoling theme or readings for our current condition and situation of COVID-19, other than the theme of Risen Christ as our Good Shepherd. He is not only the Lord and Saviour of our life, hearts, soul and body. He is the Good Shepherd who laid his life down for us, leads and guides us to healthy, ever-greener pastures and living running water and protect us from all harm, evil and danger. (Ps 23)
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 of imitating the Good Shepherd or Pastor: Jesus Christ who leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects his sheep. As well as, the shepherd who dies and rose from the dead to give eternal life to his sheep.
Therefore, Jesus declaring himself as the Good Shepherd was not just comparing himself with traditional shepherds who will go to any length to care for his sheep. It is also in contrast to the bad, wicked or “un-vocational” shepherd in the prophecy of Ezekiel 34: 1-10 who are Israel’s Shepherds. That is, the priests and religious leaders or authorities who used the people of God as a means to an end.
We are all shepherds or pastors in our different capacities in the vocations we live. Either as priests, religious, leaders of parish groups or organisations, parents, or individuals in different positions of life.
Invariably, the good shepherd solicits from sheep the need to be a good sheep or followers. By their dispositions to listen, follow and imitate with docility. The good pastors or parents or leaders dispositions to be loving, caring, and empathetic is not enough if the sheep do not cooperate or complement their effort.
FIRST READING: ACTS 4:8-12
St. Peter´s testimony to the risen Christ by whose power he was able to heal the sick is one of a pastor. A good pastor who could connect, feel, or relate to the misery of the sheep, the crippled sick man.
Equally, as a chief shepherd or pastor of the early Christian community, he preached and admonished both Jews and gentiles to live a life worthy of saving by the name and power of the risen Christ.
One solid fact of Peter is that the crucified and Resurrected Christ is “the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone” of human salvation. This means the vocational work of a shepherd has no much admiration or appreciation by many. Yet, it is the most empathetic work of tender love and care.
The psalmist in today´s Psalm 118 affirms and testifies to this claim too, “the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.” That is, the rejected Christ who was subjected to a cruel and shameful death has become the keystone of human redemption.
This is the Lord´s doing and it is wonderful in our eyes. Indeed, we are invited to be gracious and grateful for the resurrection of Christ: our victory and our glory of sin and death.
SECOND READING: 1 JOHN 3:1-2
St John, the evangelist and apostle of Christ assures us of the love of God lavishly pour out upon us in and through Christ Jesus. The Good Shepherd who demonstrates the greatest love of all: “Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
The love of the Father lavished on all God’s children is the shepherd´s love for all his sheep. It is not a love that is conditional or elective. It is a transforming love that changes us to the pure likeness of God who is love, itself. (1 John 4:8)
In conclusion, St John tells us of the lavish love of God, the Father for us, his children is an invitation to the vocation to love. In other words, to love dearly, generously and empathetically those who live under our care as pastors of souls, parents or leaders in different capacities of life.
THE GOSPEL: JOHN 10:11-18
Jesus declares himself as the Good Shepherd and the Gate to the sheepfold in today´s gospel. These are powerful imageries that convey deeper meanings and significances of God´s presence, providence, guidance, protection and intervention in our day to day life´s experiences.
The Good Shepherd is everything to his flock: providence, protection, safeguard, exemplary, and abiding presence to them. He does not rob, kill, destroy, manipulate, use or abuse or take advantage of them.
THE IMAGERY OF SHEPHERD IN JESUS’ TIME
The shepherd´s job in the steep and narrow plateau of Judea with the ground dipped sharply down to the craggy deserts was a very strenuous one.
1. First, he has to look for greener pastures, water and safe zones to keep the sheep safe and 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 of constant, unceasing vigilance, fearless courage, and patient love for his flock.
5. The good shepherd must lay down his life, risk his life, and have pity and empathy for his sheep.
6. He must know the nature and characteristics of his sheep, their names, their foolishness and sheepish mentality and despite them all. He must be ready for any eventuality to protect them with tenderness, care and love.
7. The shepherds were considered to be less dignified fellows who lived practically like the animals they attend to. They are more fully human with the kind of bond that exists between them and the animals.
8. They are less admired or appreciated by people, yet their work is indispensable in human society as the animals they care for providing milk, meat, clothes, incomes and sustenance for all.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS TO THE SHEPHERDS OR PASTORS AND THE SHEEP
As today we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, with the image of Risen Christ as the Good Shepherd or Pastor of our Souls. We need to ask ourselves three important questions:
1. Am I a faithful member of God’s flock? 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.
2. How could I participate more closely in the work of shepherding God’s flock? Bishops and pastors, as well as Sunday school teachers, Catechists, leaders or animators of parish groups and ushers – we all participating in various forms of shepherding God’s flock. How can I be a better shepherd in my own state, reaching out with understanding and compassion to the weak, misguided, or dropouts of church and society, so that through me, they may hear the loving voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd?
3. Am I a good, trustworthy, reliable or cooperative sheep who heed and follow the shepherd who guides, direct or protect me either a layperson in the parish or clergy in the church or a child in the family?
SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST, THE GOOD SHEPHERD OR PASTOR FOR US
a. The imagery of the shepherd paints a picture to us of the unceasing vigilance and patience of the love of God. With a deep message that should remind us of our duty towards our fellow men, especially if we hold any kind of office in the church of Christ.
b. Equally, the concept of good shepherd or good pastors implies also the notion of good sheep and good followers, who must identify, know and follow the shepherd or pastor.
c. This image challenge our concept of a leader and leadership in today´s world be it in the church, or elsewhere. The concept of leader or leadership is not just to be powerful and authoritative as we have seen manifested today in religious, political, economic or worldly life.
d. It is one of service and self-giving for other´s wellbeing. As pastors or parents or leaders, how close are you to the people you lead? How do we exercise the power and authority we have over them? Harshly or amicably?
e. A shepherd or a pastor much and should put the interest and wellbeing of the sheep before his. A robust sheep implies a diligent pastor or shepherd. Hence, it is contrary to the nature of the shepherd to be seen robust and well-fed while his or her sheep are malnourished and miserable.
f. Finally, Jesus as the Gate to the sheepfold brings us to the reality of Christ as our only security of life and soul from the evil ones or impostors who pose as the shepherd but come to steal, to kill and to destroy the sheep.
PASTURING REALITY OF OUR TIME
The biggest difference between a true shepherd and a hireling-man is empathy and the spirit of sacrifice. There is no doubt many a pastor today are embittered, disgruntled, as well as careless towards their flock.
Likewise, many a pastor only care for the sheep who worship them as “Daddy” or “Mummy” in the Lord. The sheep who pay tithe, or who mutually polish their human and spiritual ego of closeness to a man or woman of God. A true pastor is humble and simple not only as a lifestyle but in his approach to life.
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 of a pastor and a sheep.
Pastors who use the psychology of fear, God´s wrath or anointing or divine mandate to terrorize, 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 of 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.
Or they spend long hours planning and organizing pastoral meetings, workshops or conferences from their intellectual head and no pastoral empathy to reach out to feel, relate or connect with them from the heart in their wandering on the street faith searching. Nor, in their painful martial state or crushing family pressure or life´s tragedies or disappointments. There is strong apathy among many pastors towards their flock.
This is not a belittling of pastoral planning or coordination. The truth is that no amount of pastoral planning is equal to the emotional reaching out of pastors of souls to connect, relate or feel with them or for them. Especially in the digital age of pastoral ministration due to covid-19.
A pastor who demands blind obedience and loyalty from the flock and has little or zero tolerance for their critics of either openingly or secretly out of fear of the consequence of expressing their views or the toxicity of the pastoral setting is either a beast (wolf in sheep-clothing) or gods (in a misguiding way). It is normal, natural and human for a pastor to be vulnerable or weak to internal or external pressure of pastoring.
FR. ERNEST´S POSITION ON THE GOOD SHEPHERD´S TEXT JOHN 10:11-18
Brilliantly, the application of today´s gospel text or the celebration of Good shepherd was well articulated by Late Fr. Ernest Munachi Ezeogu, CSSp. When did he argue that the Bible is out of touch with modern reality? While raising some fundamental concerns like: Don’t we still have career pastors and evangelists who are more interested in their own comfort than in the spiritual advancement of their congregations?
Don’t we have white-collar ministers who would pontificate in their offices or churches and never take a step to reach out to the weak, the sick, and the strayed? Don’t we still have church authorities who “rule” with force and harshness? Are the people of God not scattered over the mountains and hills in search of spiritual nourishment? Does this not sound like a description of Christ’s flock today?
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 is no room for a power-drunk or authority-conscious priest or pastor who rather have control and dominance than delegated or collaborative ministry with his fellow priests or pastors.
A pastor sees the priestly or pastorally ministry as a place of competition, envy, or jealousy among or with his fellows’ priests or pastors. Instead of a place of collaborative ministry to foster unity, wellness and an amicable environment for individuality in diversity. Respecting individuals’ difference as a uniqueness he or she brings to the body of Christ. As well as appreciating each other´s talents to foster the work of Christ and the mission of the church.
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 also not about who is more intellectually or theologically sound. Or who gives the best-articulated homilies but who like Christ, the Good Shepherd pastorally and empathetically is in connection or relationship with the flock in all their daily life´s challenges.
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.
It also challenges their weaponizing of the sheep to be divided among their pastors or priests. Nor the mentality of divide and conquer or 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 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 others 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 help them to give or become their best in pasturing.
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 entrust by God to shepherd is his flock: the Church of Christ.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and the Gate to the sheepfold, in you there is life to its fullness in abundance, to you then, we commend our lives, our souls and daily experiences at this present time. We beseech you to raise good pastors or shepherds who do not fleece, milk or feed on your sheep or practice all sort of priest-crafting on them but laid down their lives for their well-being, prosperity and abundance. Oh, Good Shepherd provides, guides, leads, protects, cares and blesses our lives, our souls and our daily efforts. Help us to be a true shepherd and responsible sheep in the sheepfold of the human society, Church, family and parish groups. Amen.
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