ARE THERE BAD SHEPHERDS?

Traditionally, on the fourth Sunday of Easter the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday, on which the gospel is centered on John chapter 10 which has the parable of the good shepherd and is taken in the three years of the liturgical circle. Simultaneously the Church celebrates Vocation Sunday, a day of special prayers for those who are “shepherds” in the Church. Practically, when we reflect on the Good Shepherd, we also reflect on the flock and our vocation. Who then is the Good Shepherd and who are the flocks? If some are termed good, then, who are the bad shepherds and flock? What are the qualities expected of the Good Shepherd and flocks?

Culturally in Israel, being a shepherd is not just a profession, it is a vocation; it is a call to service and sacrifice. That is, there is a deep bond of love, care, protection between the shepherd and his sheep. The shepherd is like a real father to his flock. He takes care of them, guides them and leads them. Put differently, he is like a doctor or nurse when new flocks are born; he is the nurse when they are sick; when they are weak, he carries them on his shoulder and move on. Invariably, a good relationship must exist between the shepherd and the sheep. A relationship based on love, truth and mutual respect.

Ezekiel 34 speaks more of the shepherds and the sheep. Regarding the civil and spiritual leaders, God rebuked and warned those shepherds who were concerned about feeding themselves and not their flock. Shepherds who were motivated by self-interest, capitalizing on their position to extort from their flocks without caring for them in return. No interest to strengthen the weak, nor heal the sick, nor bound up the broken, nor seek what was lost. These shepherds ruled the flocks with force and cruelty (3-4). Seeing this, God promises to do the work the unfaithful shepherds would not do. He said, “I will search for my sheep and seek them out. I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them in judgment” (11-16). What we have in the Gospel is a fulfilment of God’s promise to Israel. Christ is the good Shepherd because of the quality of a Shepherd embedded in him. He knows his sheep, he feeds his sheep, he educates his sheep with his doctrines and teachings, he protects and defends his sheep and he gives life to his sheep. These qualities of a shepherd are evident in Christ.

Christ in the Gospel affirms it saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lay down his life for his sheep… I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and as I know the Father… for this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it up again” (Jn 10:11-17). Christ the good shepherd is a pragmatist. He said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15: 13). He said it and he did it. Therefore, we must emulate Christ the good shepherd, our model of sacrifice, love and care.

In the first reading, Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks boldly of Christ the good shepherd who lay down his life for his flocks to have healing and salvation. After the healing of the cripple at the beautiful gate, Peter boldly told the people, “Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well” (Acts 4:10). Being filled with the Holy Spirit indicates to us that Peter, as a successor of Christ was also a man of prayer. A good shepherd, who prepares himself well, and work with the Holy Spirit, is a powerful instrument in God’s hands. A good shepherd must be a man of prayer and always in union with God. He will not tell his sheep to go and pray while he is so relaxed in prayers. He should be a man of example.

St John in the second reading presents to us the greatest attribute of Christ the good shepherd. He draws our attention to “See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1Jn 3:1). It was based on love that Christ the good shepherd laid down his life for us. John 3:16 says, “God so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son, whosoever believes in him shall have life in abundance.” For the life in abundance, the reading tells us, “…we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he really is” (1Jn 3:2) Christ demonstrated this love for us by offering his life as a sacrifice and ransom for our salvation.

Dear friends in Christ, as we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we are reminded that we are both shepherds and flocks of the Church. In the strict sense, the bishops are our shepherds with their Cruosier and mitre, the symbol of a shepherd and authorities, to guide, teach and lead the people of God by good examples of the qualities of Christ the Good Shepherd. The same is applicable to all clergies to whom the flock of Christ has been entrusted. That is why today is traditionally known as the “World Day of Prayer for Priestly Vocation and Religious Life.” This prayer is needed for us to speak for the people we shepherd and not be silent in the midst of evil and injustice as it is in our decaying nation today. Those expected to be the voice of the people are silent or probably have not done enough. We must decease from enriching ourselves with best treatment at the expense of the flock, which contradicts our call to sacrifice and service. Above all, let us not be among the flocks that only sends destructive criticisms to clerics, but rather help them with our prayers. In fact, by the virtue of our baptism, we all are shepherds in various level: family or societal levels. May Christ our Good Shepherd guide us along the right path. Amen!

Happy Good Shepherd Sunday!

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ