In February 2005, the Catholic community was shocked and stunned with the killing of Sister Dorothy Stung, a missionary nun of the Sisters of Notre Dame. Sr. Dorothy's death sparked an international outcry. For nearly four decades, Sister Dorothy, a native of Dayton, Ohio, and a naturalized Brazilian citizen, worked in rural Brazil, defending the rights of poor peasants in one of the remotest communities in the jungle of Amazon region. She fought untiringly for the rights of the small farmers against influential landowners. This fight made her many enemies, including some wealthy landowners. She was shot several times in the chest and head. She was 74 years old. A few years ago, the United Nations awarded her with the U.N. Prize in the Field of Human Rights, in recognition of her selfless work in shepherding the poor and marginalized.
In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus presents himself as the Good Shepherd. The image of a shepherd was 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. As what 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. Focusing on this image of the shepherd, we can truly say that this figure fits very well the mission of Christ. As our good shepherd, he gave up his very life in order for us to gain eternal life. There can be no greater love than to lay down one’s life for another. The thing is: we know this already, but to what extent does this reality impact our lives? I mentioned this before already, as God, God could have saved us in another way without undergoing the difficulties of becoming a human person or he could have chosen not to suffer and die on the cross just to save us, yet he did. He assumed our humanity, experiencing hunger and thirst and the daily hardships that an ordinary person like us faces. He did this because as a shepherd, he walks ahead us, as what we heard from the Gospel. This a powerful description—he walks ahead of us, meaning he already walked whatever difficult path we may be experiencing right now, convincing us that as our Good Shepherd, he will never desert or leave us. The second reading from the Book of Peter expresses this succinctly, “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.”
But one thing is necessary in order to follow him—we have to recognize his voice. As what we heard in the Gospel, the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd. The moment the sheep refuse to listen to the voice of the shepherd, the sheep are at great risk. It is a matter of life or death. The sheep are exposed to so many dangers. There so many competing voices out there – trying to lure us in different directions. Who do we listen to? Whom do we follow? Do we heed the voice of God as proclaimed in the Scriptures? When was the last time we read our bibles – do we even know where to find it at home? Do we listen to the teachings of the Church, or do we consider the Church’s teachings as irrelevant to our own lives? If we do not then listen to the Word of God, to the voice of our conscience and to the teachings of Church, then it means that we are listening to something else. Just like the Palestine of Jesus’ time, which was rocky and dangerous, we also live in a world right now that is quite dangerous and divisive - a generation corrupted with egoism, self-centeredness, and a flawed understanding of human freedom – “I am a free person so I can heed whatever voice I want to listen to.” If I am listening to other voices contrary to the voice of Christ, how is my life right now? Is there joy in my life?
The image of Jesus as the good Shepherd is not just a model for our Church and civil leaders, but it is also a paragon for every Christian believer. Each one of us is a shepherd in our own right. As parents, you exemplify the qualities of the good shepherd toward your children whenever you prioritize what is the best for the whole family over one’s individual needs. Whether one is single or married, all of us must shepherd our own lives by taking the right steps and making the right decisions. In fact, one can only shepherd others when one knows how to shepherd his/her own life. As the old saying goes, “you cannot give what you do not have.” How are we shepherding those people who have been entrusted to us? As a mother or father, how well do you guide your children in developing good Christian moral values? Do you have the moral integrity at home to influence them to the right path? Do your children obey because of fear or because of love and respect to their parents? And for you children, are you good examples for other kids? Do we inspire others to do what is right, or do we influence them to do the wrong thing? Jesus tells us today that, just as he is the Good Shepherd to all of us, may we also be good shepherds to others. – Fr. Cary