Pastoral Message – April 21, 2024
Have you ever seen an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd? I’m willing to bet you have. There are plenty of statues and paintings in devotional art that illustrate this theme. From my Roman years, I remember seeing such images dating back to the 3rd and 4th centuries after Christ. It’s all based on Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John, “I am the Good Shepherd.” (Jn. 10:11) In the verses following verse 11, Jesus explains what this title means; you can read the full text, which will also be proclaimed during Mass this weekend, in this bulletin.
In any case, I think we would all agree that the statues and paintings of the Good Shepherd that we have seen are very sweet and beautiful: sunny sky, lovely landscape, a clean, serene Jesus with a docile lamb on his shoulders, and cute little sheep around him. For the persons who first heard Jesus speak of himself as the Good Shepherd, the mental image this conjured up would not have been so sweet. But it would have been powerful.
The life of a shepherd was difficult. It meant spending most of the time outside, regardless of the weather. It involved protecting sheep from robbers and wild animals. It also involved guiding the flock of sheep and keeping them together. The self-sacrifice involved in being a shepherd receives its ultimate expression in Jesus’ words, “A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” I think it’s safe to say that the life of a shepherd was dirty, smelly, demanding, exhausting, and often dangerous. It was probably not very pretty.
Jesus takes on this role for us. He guides us; he protects us; he provides for us. He lives, dies, and rises again for us. Hopefully our response is to be good “sheep”: accepting his guidance and not straying away from the flock; trusting his protection and laying aside all fear; receiving his providence and expressing our gratitude. The Lord is our Shepherd; we shall not want! (see Psalm 23)
Blessings,
Fr. Philip
