THE GOOD SHEPHERD
4th Sunday of Easter
Jn 10:11-18
Whether symbolic or literal, there are many shepherds around. But not all shepherds are good. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Some shepherds work for pay. When the pay is little, the devotion to their sheep is very slight as well. They abandon their sheep when they do not receive good remuneration for their work. The sheep is not theirs; thus, they are not really their main concern but the wage they earn from them. Their love, if there is any, for their sheep is directly proportional to what they gain from them. The Good Shepherd does not work for pay.
Some shepherds may not know their sheep. Because the sheep is not theirs, they may consider knowing their sheep more than what is required in pasturing them to be superfluous. It takes more than just pasturing the sheep for shepherds to know their sheep. To know their sheep, shepherds must practically live with their sheep. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep because He does not only live with them but actually became one like them.
Most shepherds, if not all, are not concerned about sheep that do not belong to their fold. This is very understandable. For why should a shepherd be anxious about sheep of other shepherds’ folds? Unless, of course, if his concern gains something for him or his own fold. The Good Shepherd’s concern goes beyond the boundaries of His fold.
Because they work for pay, some shepherds will never lay down their lives for their sheep. It is totally insane to die for an animal. Shepherds are expected to protect their sheep but they are crazy, if not unskilled in the trade, if they risk their own lives unmindfully in the process. The Good Shepherd not only defends His sheep, He gives His life for His sheep.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. There is no other. We are called to be like Him, for we are shepherds in one way or another even as we are sheep of His fold at the same time.
Jn 10:11-18
Whether symbolic or literal, there are many shepherds around. But not all shepherds are good. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Some shepherds work for pay. When the pay is little, the devotion to their sheep is very slight as well. They abandon their sheep when they do not receive good remuneration for their work. The sheep is not theirs; thus, they are not really their main concern but the wage they earn from them. Their love, if there is any, for their sheep is directly proportional to what they gain from them. The Good Shepherd does not work for pay.
Some shepherds may not know their sheep. Because the sheep is not theirs, they may consider knowing their sheep more than what is required in pasturing them to be superfluous. It takes more than just pasturing the sheep for shepherds to know their sheep. To know their sheep, shepherds must practically live with their sheep. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep because He does not only live with them but actually became one like them.
Most shepherds, if not all, are not concerned about sheep that do not belong to their fold. This is very understandable. For why should a shepherd be anxious about sheep of other shepherds’ folds? Unless, of course, if his concern gains something for him or his own fold. The Good Shepherd’s concern goes beyond the boundaries of His fold.
Because they work for pay, some shepherds will never lay down their lives for their sheep. It is totally insane to die for an animal. Shepherds are expected to protect their sheep but they are crazy, if not unskilled in the trade, if they risk their own lives unmindfully in the process. The Good Shepherd not only defends His sheep, He gives His life for His sheep.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. There is no other. We are called to be like Him, for we are shepherds in one way or another even as we are sheep of His fold at the same time.
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 3:00 PM
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