Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads us into God’s fold

Fourth Sunday of Easter (B)    

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday because one of the Gospel passages portraying Jesus as the Good Shepherd is always read on this day. Jesus’ title as the Good Shepherd is one of the most ancient ways of describing him; he is referred to as such by both himself and others throughout the New Testament. Christian art, even as early as the catacombs, is full of portrayals of Jesus with a sheep held lovingly upon his shoulders.

Jesus’ entire earthly ministry can be understood in reference to this title. First, he describes his mission as being focused initially upon the lost sheep of the house of Israel (see Matthew 10:6-15 and 15:24). Next, he is portrayed as caring so much for each individual sheep, that he leaves the 99 to seek after a lost one, rejoicing when this wanderer is found (see Matthew 18:12-13). Then, going beyond the Old Testament expectations of shepherds, Jesus describes himself as the truly caring shepherd who is willing even to lay down his life for his sheep (see John 10:11). When he is gone, the sheep are scattered, but he gathers them together again upon his return (see Matthew 26:31-32). Finally, at the end of time Jesus will fulfill the shepherd’s task of separating the sheep from the goats (see Matthew 25:32-45).

The image of the shepherd is joined with the image of Jesus as the door to the sheepfold, the safe pasture where the flock was bedded down for the night. One true measure of the shepherd was his ability to let only his own sheep into his sheepfold, keeping out other sheep as well as those who might do harm to his charges. Echoing Ezekiel (Ezek. 34:11-22), this passage portrays Jesus’ role as that of keeping the flock unified and safe through his intimate knowledge of them. Jesus establishes himself as the way of entering into God’s fold.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus portrays himself as the true shepherd contrasting himself with the false prophets and teachers of his day. These are shown up by Jesus’ model of the Good Shepherd to only feign concern for their followers. Jesus indicts them, “they work only for pay; they have no concern for their sheep” (John 10:13). The “blind guides” of St. John’s ninth chapter are now further exposed in his tenth; Jesus harshly describes them as “thieves and marauders who come only to steal and destroy.”

Jesus explains the role of the Good Shepherd as one totally committed to the well-being of his flock. He knows each of his sheep and spends so much time with them that they recognize him immediately; this mutual knowledge reflects the reciprocal intimacy of Jesus and his Father. Jesus explains that as Good Shepherd, he has other sheep which are not of the flock of Israel; these too he will draw into the one true fold.

The safety of this unified flock is the shepherd’s chief concern, and he will defend them even at the price of his own life. Jesus reveals that, “I came that they might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10), a pointed statement of the difference between the Good Shepherd and the multiplicity of false shepherds. Jesus’ commitment to his followers includes bringing them not only life, but the fullness of life, that is, lifting them into the loving relationship which exists between him and his Heavenly Father.

From the beginning, the early Church understood the role of its subsequent leaders as continuing the shepherding task begun by Jesus. Church leaders were to “tend the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2) entrusted to their care. The word “pastor,” the most common title of those who exercise church leadership, is borrowed from the Latin word meaning shepherd.

In this vein, Pope Paul VI in 1964 established this Sunday as the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations. And so, as we consider the image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, let us now join together with all our hearts in beseeching the Lord to “raise up worthy ministers for [his] altars and make them ardent yet gentle heralds of [his] Gospel” (From the Mass for Vocations to Holy Orders), and in doing all we can to encourage and support all those who might consider following in the Lord’s footsteps and shepherding his flock as priests.

Msgr. Fell is a Scripture scholar and director, diocesan Office for Priest Personnel.