Reflection for April 21-Good Shepherd Sunday

The day's readings can be found here.

“I am the Good Shepherd.”  This is one of the most recognized images that Jesus Christ uses for Himself.  It is even in the movie The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson.  When Jesus says these words in John 10, He is linking Himself to Psalm 23 and Isaiah 40 – to Yahweh – the divine shepherd of Israel.  He is also fulfilling a prophesy in Ezekiel 34 that in the end times, a Davidic Messiah will exercise rule over the people of Israel and protect them from predators who want to kill them.

This is one of my favorite images for Jesus and one that I continue to come back to in my own prayer.  As a priest – as a shepherd – it is a realization that the power to shepherd my people comes from Jesus.  Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd.  Yet, He chooses to guide His flock — His Church — through human shepherds: the Pope, the bishops, and the priests.  Of course, we (human shepherds) are not perfect.  In fact, we fall short a lot.  We come in all shapes and sizes, we can be friendly and we can be grumpy — but we are all shepherds who work for the Good Shepherd.  Through our sacred ordination, Jesus gives us the mission to give His flock drink through Baptism, to feed His flock with the Holy Eucharist, to heal them through Penance and Anointing, to strengthen them through Confirmation and the graces of Holy Matrimony.

Probably one job of the Good Shepherd that is least popular and most difficult is the obligation to protect the flock from the wolf — to protect the faithful from evil doctrine and corrupt morals.  And why?  Because often the sheep do not want to listen.  They at times think they know better than the Shepherd.  And when they rebel and do what they want — when they choose to not listen to the Good Shepherd, then they put themselves in danger of being eaten by the wolf.

The human shepherds (we priests) are in charge of keeping the sheep close to the Good Shepherd, but sometimes we are criticized when we have to tell the sheep things they do not want to hear.  Nevertheless we will not relax our efforts because we are shepherds after the Heart of Christ, and in imitation of the Good Shepherd, we will lay down our lives for our flock to protect them from the wolf.  This Good Shepherd Sunday, please pray for your shepherds — that we may have the strength and courage necessary to lead you, the faithful, to the green pastures of sanctity and the restful waters of divine grace.