4th SUNDAY OF EASTER

The Good Shepherd

By Br. Jeffrey Pagaduan, OP


What a very timely Gospel! Today, while some of our leaders continue to act irresponsibly over the series of bad events that happened in our country, we hear from the Gospel the consoling words of our Lord Jesus Christ, “I am the Good Shepherd.” Let us therefore turn to Him and learn from Him.

The Good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The life of a leader is a life of service. To serve is not a work. It is a vocation. It entails commitment and responsibility. When one becomes a leader, he never ceases to be so. Every second of his life is a time of fulfilling his leadership. Why do some of our leaders often fail? It is because they see leadership as a work, a source of income. “A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.” (John 10:10).

The Good shepherd know his sheep. In order for the leader to serve, he needs to know his people. To know the people is to live with them, to live their lives. One cannot serve by merely staying in his comfortable office. To live the lives of the people is sacrifice. We see this in Jesus Himself. Though he was in the form of God… He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7).

One can only make a commitment to serve if he knows the people whom he is serving.

Brothers and sisters, we can be leaders in our own simple ways. May the image of the Good Shepherd be the source of our strength and perseverance in leading the people in our home, school, and work.

THE SHEEP OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Often times, a sheep is described as a meek animal and vulnerable to various dangers.  Without a shepherd to guide and protect them, there is a great tendency that they will not know where to go, lose the sense of direction and become astray, and even worst, they will be defenseless when attacked by wolves.

Our Lord Jesus Christ presents himself to us as the good shepherd.  He cares for all His sheep.  He knows them well and he knows what they need.  The only concern of the sheep is food and water, yet, Jesus does not only satisfies His sheep with material food but also with the spiritual food, that is, His Bread and His Word.  He protects them so as no one will snatch them out of His hand and He also leads them to the abundant pastures of His Father.

Probably, a hired shepherd would not take great risk on behalf of the sheep, and worst, maybe in time of danger, he might even flee and leaving the flock behind to be feasted upon by wolves or by thieves.  Money in exchange of service is not always a good motivator for courage and commitment.  Most of the time, it is love that motivates us to commit ourselves to others especially those who are in need.  Jesus is a good shepherd, in as much as He is always willing to do everything for His sheep and He even gives His own life in order to keep them safe.

The distinguishing mark of Jesus’ sheep is their willingness to hear and obey, just as disobedience is the mark of those who are not His.  In other words, the sheep that belong to Jesus are characterized by obedience, that is, the recognition of the voice of the Shepherd and following His command or instruction.  Now, as persons claiming to be Christians, who are followers of Christ, did we ever dare to ask ourselves: are we really the sheep of Jesus, listening to His voice and obeying Him?  Or are we simply His sheep by name?

As Christians, and true followers of Jesus, we are expected to do what the Good Shepherd did.  Our courage and commitment for the service of others, who are considered also the sheep, must always be motivated by love, so that we can faithfully and joyfully perform our tasks whether it is of small or of great importance, and even willingly and readily risk our life in face of danger in order to save them.  Now, let us start to do even the ordinary things with extraordinary love, and that we can be truly become the followers of Jesus, counted as one of His good and obedient sheep.  By true spirit of commitment to everything good we do, we can also become a good shepherd like our Jesus, tending and shepherding our fellow sheep.