As a Catholic Christian, we often recite psalm 23 “the Lord is my Shepherd”… a psalm that addresses God as our good shepherd. The liturgy of this weekend leads us to reflect on the meaning of God’s call to each member of the Church to be a shepherd. This is also a Sunday where we pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life; those who are called to give their life to serve the Lord and to administer the sacraments. In the scriptures, the image of a shepherd is used to describe the unique relationship of God with his  people. In the Gospel for this weekend, the liturgy presents us Jesus as our good Shepherd. He is the gateway to eternal life, and the selfless, caring shepherd who provides protection to his sheep.

During the time of Jesus in the land of Palestine, the shepherds would bring the sheep down from the hills in the evening to protect them at night when the wolves and mountain lions were hunting their prey. At night, the shepherds would gather their sheep together and lead them into large pens or sheepfolds which had five-foot-high stone walls. The shepherds put the weakest ones along the top of the wall to prevent the mountain lions and wolves from jumping over it. Now, the doorway was about two feet wide, a narrow space in the front wall facing a burning fire of wood outside at night. The shepherd himself would sleep there in the small opening of the stone wall facing the fire with his club and staff. If a mountain lion came, the shepherd would fight it off with his weapons, like his short stocky club or his longpointed staff. Literally and actually, the shepherd himself was the door.

I am the good Shepherd says the Lord (John 10:11). As a shepherd he stands by us and for us to defend us against any force that can attack us or push us away from his grace and blessing. As a shepherd Jesus is taking responsibility of the sheep and his mission from God the Father to protect, guide, and nurture His flock.

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved (John 10:9). As a gate Jesus is our leader, our way to God. Whoever surrenders their life to him goes through him as a gate for protection and they will be safe and he will care for them. It is through Jesus, "the Door” that we come into the sheepfold where we are protected from the wolves of life. There is safety and security in being a Christian. There is a spiritual, emotional and psychological security, and safety when we live within Jesus and his Church.

Let’s continue to encourage each other to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, so that we may have more good shepherds to lead, feed and protect the Catholic community. May the Lord continue to protect us and bless us as we continue to follow him as our Shepherd.

Happy Good Shepherd Sunday

Fr. Yvans Jazon