The Qualities of the
Shepherd and the Expectations on the Sheep
Introduction
- This Sunday is important in two ways;
·
It is the good shepherd Sunday
·
It is the Sunday of vocation
-
In this Sunday let us remember our duty to pray
and wish for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Let us also
pray for our shepherds that they may be guided by the Spirit and lead the
faithful to our eternal Shepherd.
Content
-
Today’s gospel passage depicts the qualities of
the Good Shepherd and qualities the sheep should have.
-
The main qualities of Good Shepherd as narrated
in the gospel are;
1. He
knows the sheep
§
The knowledge of our Shepherd is beyond our
understanding.
§
It is a perfect knowledge about each of His sheep.
§
In the gospel of Mathew (10:30) we read, “Even
the hairs of your head have all been counted”. He knows us in detail, our anxieties,
worries, difficulties, weakness, tensions, talents, abilities, etc.
§
God says through the prophet (Jeremiah 1:5), “I knew
you before I formed you in your mother’s womb”.
2. He
loves the sheep
§
God says (Is 49: 16), “I have engraved you in my
palms”.
§
If God loves us why He allow suffering?
·
We see a sheep on the shoulder of the Shepherd in
the picture of Good Shepherd. Why is that sheep presented in that way? Our scripture
professor told us that there was a practice among the shepherds of those times
that they would break the leg of the most straying sheep in the flock and
carries it on the shoulders for three to four weeks till it get cured. By that
time, the sheep would special connection with the shepherd. After that treatment
that sheep would never go stray or never get in to dangers.
·
The times of brokenness in our lives are
therefore a time to cling on to the Shepherd and understand His love and care.
3. He
lays his life for the sheep.
§
On Good Friday we celebrated how Jesus laid his
life for us, sinners, for saving us from the powers of evil.
-
The expectations of the Good Shepherd about the
sheep are mentioned in the gospel, such as;
1. The
sheep must know the Shepherd
§
To love a person properly we should know him. In
the marital relationship, the problems arise with the lack of proper
understanding and knowledge between partners.
§
We should know the Shepherd in order to love
him. The character, words and deeds of our Shepherd are written in the Bible.
It is our duty to read them, reflect and meditate up on them.
2. The
sheep must listen to the Shepherd
§
There are many voices that we are open to in today’s
world. Most of the voices are of the ideologies of this world such as
consumerism, capitalism, materialism etc. (eg: television, radio, and other
mass media). Many of them are misleading voices.
§
In order to realize the voice the Shepherd, we
must spend time in prayer and silence, and tune our mind to the real voice of
our Shepherd.
3. The
sheep must follow the shepherd
§
Following needs confidence and faith.
§
We are following the crucified Christ, whose
ways are different from the ways of the world. We can expect sufferings and
difficulties in the process of witnessing His values. Our consolation is His
promise that He will be with us always (Mt 28:20).
Conclusion
-
Let us understand and experience our Shepherd
who knows us, loves us and lays his life for us.
-
Let us be the sheep who meet His expectations by
knowing Him, listening to Him and following Him.
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