On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Word of God presents us with the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd. The word that St. John uses in Greek to describe the shepherd is kalos, which does not exactly mean “good”, as we usually translate it, but rather, “beautiful”. Truly, our Shepherd is the most beautiful of all the sons of men. It is love above all that makes him beautiful: “This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life.”
I remember reading in St. Thomas Aquinas' Commentary on the Gospel of John something that has always done me a lot of good. The Angelic Doctor said that Jesus did not want to share the title of shepherd with his disciples. Think, for example, of the "light of the world”. Jesus uses it to refer to himself, when he affirms: "I am the light of the world; he who follows me does not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (Jn 8:12) When he speaks of his followers, he attributes this also to them: "You are the light of the world, a candle set in a bushel basket cannot be hidden." (Mt 5:14) It is, so to speak, a property of his by nature and ours by participation.
However, Christ never said to His Apostles, "You are shepherds." Rather, He wants to emphasize the fact that there is no shepherd other than Him. In today's Gospel He tells us: “there will be one flock, one shepherd.” In his appearance by Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee), the Risen Lord says three times to St. Peter, "feed my sheep." (Jn 21:15-17)
In other words, the Lord wanted to make it very clear to his disciples that the sheep are his, not theirs; that he was the only Shepherd. So why is it said of priests that they are shepherds? Well, this is where the wisdom of the saints always astounds us. St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “officium pastoris caritas est.” The duty of the pastor is charity.” When the priest loves with the love of charity, then it is no longer he, but Christ who shepherds his sheep in him. Isn't this beautiful?
We priests are not important. The only important one is the One who, in us, feeds you. He who, in us, heals your wounds. He who, in us, teaches you, and in doing so, leads you to the green pastures of Paradise. He who, in us, loves you.
I was thinking more about this in recent days, because Father Job has been transferred to another parish. The Bishop is sending him to Saint Jerome Parish in July. We are going to miss him very much because Father Job is a priest with the heart of a servant. He won us over with his simplicity, his joy and his serenity. I am so grateful to him... And, thinking about his departure and this message I am sharing with you, I thought to myself, "In reality, the only pastor of St. Anne and of any parish is Jesus. He always remains, even if we priests come and go. St. Anne has had many pastors, but only one shepherd. It has had many priests, but only one "good shepherd". We are unimportant details, secondary actors in the drama of human redemption. The great protagonist, the only shepherd, the one who always remains, is Jesus Christ."
This is a very consoling idea for me, and it should be for you as well. You will always have with you the only Good Shepherd. The same one who has taken care of you until now in the priests who came before and who will take care of you in those who will come after. He will not fail in his word, for he is always faithful. (2 Tim 2:13)
What I have said also applies to parents and catechists. Remember that your children are not yours, they do not belong to you. Your children are Jesus' sheep. Your mission as parents and educators is to feed the Lord's sheep, to let Him love them in you, to protect them through you. "The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." Lay down your life for them too, or better: let him, by being one with Christ, lay down his life for them in you.
All of this is very beautiful, very comforting, very profound. Let us ask the Lord in this Holy Mass where the Shepherd becomes pasture and feeds us with himself, where instead of carrying the sheep on his shoulders, it is we who carry him in our hearts, that when we receive Holy Communion, He will make us one with him through charity so that, as priests, parents, educators and children of God, we may be living images of Jesus Christ. the Good Shepherd, who in dying, gives his life for us.