(Good Shepherd Sunday)
Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 22; 1Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10
The Good Shepherd
1. Today marks the 60th Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations instituted by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Parishes are encouraged to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The purpose of this day is to publicly fulfill the Lord’s instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). Pope Francis in his message for today with the theme “Vocation: Grace and Mission” says that “the Lord’s call is grace, complete gift, and at the same time a commitment to bring the Gospel to others.” He added that “God’s call, includes a “sending”. There is no vocation without mission.” Therefore, we are challenged to respond to human crises and existential concerns with a sense of mission.
2. On this same day, the Church celebrates the Good Shepherd Sunday. In the New Testament, it is important to note that Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. Jesus would not have added the adjective “good” if there were no bad shepherds. In Biblical history, Herodias, Abimeleck, Jezebel, Herod were bad shepherds. In John 10:12 Jesus calls them hirelings – they appear as good shepherds but intrinsically they were not. A hireling is a person who works purely for material reward. No good shepherd works purely for material reward. In today’s gospel Jesus calls them robbers and thieves (John 10:8). Are there leaders today who are thieves and robbers? A bad husband or teacher is a bad shepherd; a false prophet is a bad shepherd; a good shepherd will take you to Jesus; but a bad shepherd will take you away from Jesus.
3. Jesus teaches us a crucial lesson about the Shepherd’s voice by using the example of the Palestinian background where the flocks of various shepherds are gathered together for the night under the watch of one keeper. At dawn, each shepherd calls his sheep and leads them out. There are many sheep and shepherds but each sheep had to discern it’s master’s voice and follow in his direction. We live in a world of many voices and only one voice is reliable and unfailing. Many voices clamour for attention, many of whom claim to speak for God. Jesus says “… The sheep hears his voice and they follow him. A stranger they will not follow rather they will run away from him because they do not recognize a strangers voice” (John 10:4-5). Similarly, Paul warns in 1Cor. 14:10 saying “there are many kind of voices and none of them is without meaning.” Let us learn to listen to Jesus in the Scriptures, the teaching and doctrine of the Church. It’s sad that many of us are following strange voices today. Like the sheep in the Palestinian sheepfold, in spite of the many voices let’s learn to discern the Shepherd’s voice.
4. Jesus also describes himself as the door by implication Jesus speaks of thieves and robbers who come into the fold through other ways. Jesus says in John 10:10 “that they have come to kill, to steal and to destroy..” These are men who don’t follow due process to occupy office of leadership, they preach false doctrine, they tell lies to get followers, their churches are packed full but with no relevance in eternity. As “the door,” not “a door” Jesus is not only our Shepherd who leads us into the “sheepfold,” but the only door by which we may enter and be saved (John 10:9). Jesus is the only means we have of receiving eternal life (John 3:16). There is no other way (John14:6). Therefore, if we are to be saved, we must pass through the door -Jesus the way, the truth and the life.
5. The readings today also draw our attention to Christian leaders of today. In the first reading Peter occupied the office of a shepherd. He addressed the crowd on what to do to gain eternal life. This message of peter was not just for the crowed as at then, but for all of us. We should repent and be baptized in order for us to be saved. Every good shepherd seeks the well-being and salvation of his people. It is sad that many Christian leaders today hardly will preach the message of repentance and baptism. In the second reading Peter invites all of us to return to the Lord – the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. Though we are called Christians the feedback from our daily life in the society shows we are yet to imitate Christ. If we do not return to him then we shall have no place in the sheepfold which is his Kingdom.
6. Finally the Psalm of today, taken from Ps. 23 gives us a breakdown of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. It expresses the passionate care and love of a shepherd for his sheep. It speaks about “pastures” – a spiritual sustenance provided by the Shepherd. Speaking about water, the Psalmist says the shepherd revives our souls near restful waters. Every Christian needs revival; when we are dry, the Lord revives us. When we go through the valley and the shadow of death; sicknesses and diseases with his crook and his staff the Lord guides us. The crook and staff are the word of God by which we are guided until there is an outburst of goodness and mercy that will keep us in his Kingdom forever.
LET US PRAY
Almighty ever-living God, lead us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave Shepherd has gone before. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
