SHEPHERD US, O GOD
"My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me.”
 
            The image or the icon of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is probably one of the most popular and moving images of Jesus. I want you to picture in your mind that image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, carrying on his shoulders a lamb. Its popularity stems from the fact that it evokes a sense of security, gentleness, unconditional love and joy in finding the lost sheep. Aside from those characteristics that I mentioned, the popularity of the Good Shepherd also stems from the fact that we can personally relate to it because, at some point in our lives, we have been lost, have wandered around, and when we’ve had enough of that wandering around, we want to be found again by the loving shepherd and be back in the Shepherd’s embrace.
            And, besides our own experiences of personal wandering or being lost, we ourselves are also shepherds in one way or another. There are people, responsibilities and relationships that are entrusted to us, to our care. And, if those things are not applicable to us, we surely have that moral responsibility to shepherd our own selves, making sure that we directing and leading our own lives towards our ultimate flourishing and the realizations of our best potentials and gifts. How are we as shepherds, beginning with our own very self? Do we bring ourselves to verdant pastures, or do our choices at times bring us to perdition, to wastelands?
      How about our own family? Do we know our sheep, and do they know us? Unfortunately, shepherd’s and sheep are not very common or relevant in our high tech, computerized world. And, we don’t like to think of
ourselves as dumb, submissive animals. We are sophisticated human beings. We have an intellect and a free will; we go where we will and do what we want. And, we don’t like sheep dogs yapping and snapping at our feet. But, perhaps, we are more like sheep than we care to admit. Just like sheep, we seem to be oblivious of everything except the plot of grass that surrounds us here and now. We spend all of our time feathering this little nest here as if it will go on forever. Just like sheep, we aren’t conscious of the ravenous wolves that surround us in the counter-culture in which we live.
      For parents who have been given the special vocation to shepherd their families, how is your “shepherding”? Do you know where your children go after school? Do you know their friends whom they hang out with? What websites do they frequent? I know that it’s easier said than done, considering that many parents have to juggle many things at the same time to keep things going. Shepherding is not easy because what’s at stake are
relationships, real people who, at the same time, have their own unique views and takes on life, influenced by many factors and conditioned by the environment that they find themselves.  For married couples, how are you
shepherding your marriage?
            As a priest who shepherds our faith family here, there is great joy in leading the flock. It has, of course, its share of struggles and difficulties. It’s a little challenging to get to know everyone here because of the size of our community, but it’s always a grace to be part of the lives of people, for the opportunity and trust to be allowed to enter into the most personal, intimate and even, at times, embarrassing part of their lives, times of joys, sorrows, triumphs and defeats. It’s all grace. And, when things get tough, when shepherding becomes exhausting, I usually look at the icon of the Good Shepherd that a good priest-friend gave to me for my priestly ordination. I strategically placed it in my office to remind me of the need to learn from the Good Shepherd himself. And, there were countless times when I told the Lord, “Just carry me while I carry your flock.” 
            As shepherds, whom do we listen to? Whose voice do we follow to shepherd us? Is it the voice of Christ, or another voice? Do we follow the voice of our conscience when it comes to important decisions, even our political choices? The image of a shepherd is a powerful figure during the time of Jesus. Palestine was a rocky and dangerous place, which made it almost impossible for the sheep to survive without the shepherd. The voice of the shepherd is a matter of life and death for the sheep. As Psalm 23 describes to us beautifully, it is the shepherd who leads the sheep to verdant pastures and restful waters and protects them from ravaging animals. Just like Palestine during the days of Jesus, rocky and dangerous, we live in such a time and place where too many appealing, yet dangerous, voices compete for our attention; they promise to shepherd us to short-lived pleasures, but the long term consequences can be very destructive and damaging, especially for our souls. Whom do you listen to—is it the voice of the Good Shepherd? And, reflecting on the voices that we heed to, are we joyful and content? Are you willing to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd? – Fr. Cary