As I sat in church today and listened to Father Frank’s homily about the “Good Shepherd,” I was reminded of the number of times I’ve accused people and I include myself in the mix, for being like sheep. Whenever I read about our political leaders taking us down the wrong path and no one seems to object, I feel that we are following like sheep being taken to slaughter.
To be a sheep nowadays gives the connotation that one has no mind of his own. Sheep are not too smart, we think. They follow the crowd, or maybe wander off, and at times might even fall off a cliff. We are much smarter. We have a brain and are able to make our own decisions. But as Father asked, “Are we better off?”
He related what he hears in the confessional time and time again. We have a brain but are constantly succumbing to sins of gossip, anger, jealousy, greed etc. He reminded us of how many mention that they seem to be in a rut and can’t stop repeating the same sin over and over again.
Jesus used the example of the Good Shepherd because that’s what people back then could relate to. Being a good shepherd was very hard work. A good shepherd never abandons his sheep.
How would Jesus address us if He were walking among us today? What example could He use to take the place of the Good Shepherd?
The only thing I could think of was being a good parent – being a good mother and a good father.
I know I’m rambling some, but when I think of a shepherd, I go back to my Italian roots and realize that the word for shepherd in Italian is pastore and from the word pastore we get pastor and pastoral.
The word pastoral conjures up heavenly images in my mind. It makes me think of tranquility and love and grace. It makes me want to be a sheep especially since my Lord is the Good Shepherd.
“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.”
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