The Good Shepherd is the theme of this week’s blog. Jesus as shepherd is quite a contrast to King Jesus as presented last week. Granted, most of us are probably only familiar with shepherds because of pictures of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. But it still is a powerful and consoling term for Jesus.

King David

This title has roots in the Old Testament David, a great ancestor of Jesus. He was a shepherd boy who became king. His most known and most loved psalm is Psalm 23:

 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

David was able to slay the giant Goliath with his slingshot because he was proficient at defending his father’s sheep. He persuaded King Saul to let him face Goliath by saying, “Whenever a lion or bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth, and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down and kill it.”

Jesus as Shepherd

Later Jesus came to rescue his Father’s sheep from the devil who goes prowling about. He called himself the Good Shepherd:  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:11, 14).

Jesus also told a parable about a good shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to fetch one that has gone astray. That is quite an exaggeration. Nevertheless, it makes the point that God loves sinners.

Recently in a movie I saw a sheep that was on its back and couldn’t get up. I read about this situation in the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Philip Keller. A shepherd is always on the look for a cast down sheep, which is easy prey. Under the hot sun, the sheep can die from suffocation or exposure. Gases buildup in its stomach, squeezing its lungs and heart. It can die in a few hours. The shepherd will roll the sheep over, stand it up, and gently massage its legs. If it can’t walk, the shepherd will carry it back to the flock.

“All of us are like that straying sheep. Scripture says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).

The Pope is the shepherd of the Church. Jesus told Saint Peter, the first of 267 Popes, “Feed my sheep.”  We have been blessed with recent Popes who have a pastoral heart. Let’s pray for Pope Leo who bears the burden of the worldwide Church.

My Shepherd

I spent one Christmas Day in the convent making a calendar for my father as a gift. That evening, my sister called and said, “Dad’s in the hospital. He had a heart attack and has already been anointed. You better come.”

At the hospital my dad lay unconscious and attached to a machine making a rhythmic hissing sound.

When I was back home and in bed, sleep was elusive. I was petrified. What if Dad dies? What will Mom do? Suddenly, out of nowhere, “The Lord is my shepherd” slipped into my mind. I said these five words over and over and they became like a soothing lullaby. They made me sense God’s loving presence, and, comforted, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I returned to the hospital. In Dad’s room were two men. One was the doctor, and the other was a male nurse who had worked overtime through Christmas night caring for my father. The nurse’s name was Bob Shepherd! Dad recovered and lived several more years.

This experience taught me the value of praying mantras: short, repeated prayers. Consequently, I wrote a collection of them which was published as Prayer Moments for Every Day of the Year, available from Paulist Press or me. The cover has my photo of sunrise over the Sea of Galilee, which I took during a visit to the Holy Land, where there are still shepherds.

When has God been a good shepherd to you?

Who is your favorite Pope?

What outstanding pastor (priest) has played a role in your life?

The Sisters here are practicing for their annual Christmas performance of the Messiah, a fundraiser for the hungry. This is one of my favorite songs from it: