Good Shepherd Sunday

Why does Christ call himself the Good Shepherd? First and foremost, the Lord is good. He protects, guides, nurtures, and lays down his life for his sheep. The Greek word ‘Kalos’, translated as ‘good’, describes that which is noble, wholesome, good, and beautiful. This is the character of God, and he alone is good. In Matthew 19:16-17, a man asks Jesus what good deed he must do to have eternal life.

Jesus tells him that there is only one who is good and if he wants to enter life, he must keep the commandments. Jesus is the only one who has, or ever will, live a sinless life. He kept and fulfilled the commandments perfectly. Those who call on the name of Jesus are forgiven.

Secondly, the Good Shepherd protects. In John 10:28, Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” When we trust in Jesus, our lives are safe with him, for he is the safe harbor.

Thirdly, the Good Shepherd guides. In Psalm 23:3, it says, “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Jesus shows us a better way to live. When we follow him, he is glorified, for he is the anchor of our salvation.

Another point is that the Good Shepherd nurtures. In Isaiah 40:11, it says, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” He provides exactly what we need to grow in our faith, for he is a great provider.

Lastly, he lays down his life. In John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jesus showed his love for us by leaving heaven, entering humanity, living a perfect life, and paying the price for our sins by dying on the cross.

He rose again, ascended to heaven to be with his Father, and intercedes on our behalf so that we can enter into a relationship with God. Jesus rescued us and laid down his life for us, his sheep.

The Lord chose this image of the Good Shepherd to tell us that without the shepherd, the sheep are directionless, for they are not noted for intelligence or powers of reason. The sheep listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Our religion focuses clearly on heaven as our goal and provides the means to assist us to get there – the Sacred Scriptures, the Sacred Tradition, and the Sacraments.

The early Christians worshipped on pain of arrest, torture, and death, and as such, the image of the Good Shepherd was a reminder of salvation, a source of courage, and a guarantee that they would be brought safely to heaven.

Yet numerous Catholics ignore these means of salvation, dabbling instead in the superstitions of the day, such as horoscopes, Tarot readings, fortune telling, crystals, and ‘feng shui’. Our Lord issued quite clear warnings about the perils beset us, and the temptations the Devil sends our way.

How many Catholics have gone against the Church, placing themselves outside the boundary wall of the sheepfold, by their rejection of doctrinal or moral teaching, their refusal to live out the Catholic life, or their resistance to the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

The reality is that while Our Lord, the Good Shepherd, provides non-stop, all-day, every-day, loving care and protection in the fold of the Catholic Church, every one of us strays, from time to time, through negligence or willfulness, into the wilderness of sin and error. By doing so, we expose ourselves to grave danger. We may be beguiled by the Evil one, thinking that we do not need Christ.

Besides that, there are other shepherds: some who lead well and some who don’t. We need leaders who will point us to God, who will emulate the Good Shepherd, and who will submit to the authority of Christ Jesus. All shepherds, other than Christ, will fail us if we look to them for our salvation because only Jesus has the exclusive title of the Good Shepherd. He’s the only way to God the Father.

Christ the Good Shepherd has come and fetched us. He may do this directly – a sudden awareness in our prayers, or a shock to the system that makes us realize the error of our ways.

He may act through members of our family or our good friends or through the pastoral ministry of the Church, exercised by the clergy and bishops, in communion with the Holy Father. We are sheep and we do need the care of Christ, the Good Shepherd who comes to us through His Church and the shepherds he gives us.

In this Easter season, therefore, as we reflect on how the Good Shepherd cares, may He guide us in the world, and as we respond to His voice, may He carry us on His shoulders to everlasting life. .

Fr Joseph Osho