The Good Shepherd

By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy

v11″I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. v12When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. v13The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. v14-15I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. v16There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd. (John 10:11-16)
This fourth Sunday of Easter is also called the Good Shepherd Sunday. It is so called because of the most endearing image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd in the Gospel lesson. If Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd then his followers and believers are the sheep, the flock. Over and over in the Bible we are compared to sheep. And this is an unfortunate metaphor. Some people think it is heartwarming. But if we really know the sheep of their animal traits we can see that it is an unfortunate representation of us. Frankly I do not know much about the sheep the animal and their traits. But according to one magazine you won’t find a dumber animal than sheep. Dogs and cats can be trained but you will never find a trained sheep in a circus. The sheep have poor eyesight. They have no common sense. Left of their own, they’ll walk into a stream and drown. According to the same source sheep are prone even to walk off a cliff and plummet to their death. We are different from sheep in at least one way: we worry. Sheep are too dumb even to worry that they cannot take care of themselves.
If such description of the sheep is accurate, a good shepherd is needed in order to keep the sheep alive and well. A good shepherd can be qualified by his or her knowing the needs of the sheep. Psalm 23 immediately comes to mind when we speak about the needs of the sheep and the good shepherd.
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In his excellent study of the famous Biblical passage on shepherds, (The Good Shepherd: A Thousand Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament), scholar Ken Bailey describes the nature of David’s requests in the 23rd psalm: “The psalmist [in Psalm 23] has a very basic set of wants that the shepherd provides for his sheep. That list includes food, drink, tranquility, rescue when lost, freedom from the fear of evil and death, a sense of being surrounded by the grace of the Lord, and a permanent dwelling place in the house of God. An ever-rising mountain of material possessions is not on the list. There is no hint of any need for power or control. An externally generated set of compulsive desires and the need to be constantly entertained are also absent. The sheep knows that only with the shepherd’s help can they secure the above limited list of basic wants”.
Sheep are totally dependent upon the shepherd who tends them with care and compassion. Shepherds were the providers, guides, protectors and constant companions of sheep. So close was the bond between shepherd and sheep that to this day Middle Eastern shepherds can divide flocks that have mingled at a well or during the night simply by calling their sheep, who know and follow their shepherd’s voice. Shepherds were inseparable from their flocks. The shepherd would lead the sheep to safe places to graze and make them lie down for several hours in a shady place. Then, as night fell, the shepherd would lead the sheep to the protection of a sheepfold.
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Retired Prime Bishop Renato Abibico, my former boss in the ECP National Office laments (via social media) that our ‘small world is now pampered by many and loud voices coming from politicos and die hard followers, each claiming to be the messiah, savior, shepherd and leader that would lead this nation to greatness again.’ Amidst the onslaught of the pandemic the Filipinos are confused by the conflicting statements of these voices relative to effective and efficient implementation of the ways and means to combat the outbreak. And when a good shepherd emerges they are shut and shot down by the phony leaders in our government. These are the ‘hired hand’ in our gospel who flees from their responsibilities and make malicious accusations to those who assume their supposed duties as elected officials.
It is upsetting to find this reality in the ‘red-tagging’ incident of the lady who plays a good shepherd by providing food to those in need in her community amidst the scarcity brought about by the pandemic. Ana Patricia Non on her own initiative and good will set up the Maginhawa Community Pantry in Quezon City. From thence, more than 200 community pantries sprouted all-over the country with the common slogan: “Magbigay ayon sa Kakayahan, Kumuha batay sa Pangangailangan.” Her reward: she was indirectly accused as member of the Communist Party in the Philippines (CPP) which is a deadly accusation in this country.
We need a good shepherd to lead us ‘though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death’ (Ps. 23: 4KJV). We are walking through the shadow of death COVID19 and all. Beside our faith in the Good Shepherd we are in dire need of a good leader to lead us through the deathly struggles of this world.
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Leadership. We all want good leadership. Good shepherds to lead us in and out of green pasture. We vote hoping to elect it, we apply for jobs hoping to work for it, and we go to school hoping to be educated by it. But we do not always find it. The trust we place in our leaders can be broken. So what are we to do?
Look at the picture Jesus gives us here in our gospel lesson: This wonderful vivid portrait of a shepherd caring for his sheep. The shepherd would lead his sheep out to distant areas and stay there for days. Being a good shepherd he created a temporary corral, a pen to keep the sheep in when they were not grazing. Using the crude stones of the field a shepherd could quickly put together such a structure and at night he would lay his body down in the opening of this corral making himself the door. No sheep could wonder away at night unless it stepped over the sleeping shepherd and no wolf could come in to do harm without waking the shepherd. He is the gate.
More than any other duty the goal of the shepherd is to protect the sheep. This is how you know a good shepherd from a bad shepherd. Does the Shepherd. . .does the leader have the best interest of his people at heart? How do you know that he or she is a good shepherd? You know by looking at the sheep.
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The next question then is this: who will be given the responsibility to care for these creatures? Will it be a good shepherd or a bad shepherd? Someone will step into this void and the health of any given flock of sheep depends on it.
Jesus Christ is the Greatest Good shepherd. He calls each and every one to follow him. Every follower of Christ is supposed to be a good shepherd and is expected to lead others to a life in Christ. It is expected that through our lives – in thought word and deed – we may lead others to that abundant life. Joining actively in the various church programs and other non-church service activities would emphasize our roles as good shepherds.
Are we good shepherds or bad shepherds in our church, in our communities, in our families? How could we become good shepherds? Let us learn from the PENCIL.
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The Pencil
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget; and you will become the best pencil you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with yourself; always remember them and never forget; and you will become the best person you can be. – the good shepherd wherever you will be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems; but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make and grow through them.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.
By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. We too, are called to be one that we may have life abundant and others may share on the same.
Let us pray.
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us by name, and follow where he leads; who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (4th Sunday of Easter Collect)/**
(cf. ECP-BCP;King James Version of the Bible; James Merritt, 52 Weeks with Jesus; esermons. Com; thepastorsworkshop.com; ABS-CBN online news)