JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD: Every fourth Sunday of Easter
is known as the Good Shepherd Sunday. For each year, the Gospel is always a
part of John 10, which presents Jesus as the good Shepherd. The image of a
shepherd speaks more powerfully to the ancient world than to the modern world.
In the Ancient Near East, sheep were reared not mainly for meat but, first, for
wool; and so sheep were often taken to shearers (cf. Isa 53:7).A herd of sheep
could stay with its shepherd for a good number of years because of wool. A
shepherd could endanger his life while trying to keep the sheep safe. The sheep
recognise the shepherd’s voice; and he gives each a name. A good number of
texts describe God as the true shepherd of Israel (cf. Jer 23, Ezek 34). Since
the leaders, to whom God entrusted his people, led them astray, milked and
butchered the rest, God himself took over the duty of shepherding. This
prophecy of Jeremiah and Ezekiel is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God instituted
the Monarchy for a theocratic rule; but the kings failed God in various ways.
Instead of leading the people to God, they lead them to idolatry. Jesus, the incarnate
Son of God, died in order to gather the scattered children of God (cf. John
11:49-52). We all are called to be good shepherds in our different capacities.
We should be preoccupied with how to keep those under us safe and sound. Their
welfare should be our concern not our selfish interests. May Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, teach us how to seek the interests of our subjects first before ours.
PRAYER:
O my Jesus,
thank you for offering yourself for our salvation. Give us the grace to imitate
your example in our dealings with our fellow humans. Amen.
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