John 10:11-18
Several times in the Old Testament we have the image of God as Shepherd of Israel. The Lord is my Shepherd sings the Psalm (Ps 22(23):1); (cf. also e.g. Ps 94(95):7; Is 40:11 etc.). But then, representing God, the Kings of Israel also had the role of Shepherd for their people (cf. e.g. 2 Samuel 5:2, Ezekiel 37:24 etc.). Unfortunately almost all the Kings after David proved themselves to be unworthy Shepherds. They were unfaithful, corrupt and predatory. So the Prophets, especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel, fiercely and fearlessly denounced them. As they did so, the Prophets pointed, with more or less clarity, towards a future Messianic figure. He would be a true representative of God, and a truly faithful Shepherd for the people (cf. Jer 23:1-6; Ezk 34:10-11 etc.).
So when Jesus said I am the Good Shepherd, everyone hearing him knew at once that he was claiming to be the Messiah. And they could hear in the title “The Good Shepherd” at least an implicit claim to divine status. But then immediately Jesus goes on. The Good Shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep (Jn 10:11). And this, all his hearers, both the hostile Pharisees and the disciples, would have thought very odd. Surely no sane shepherd ever offers his life for his sheep? People keep sheep in order to fatten them for slaughter! And if a shepherd should die, what good would that do his sheep? What use to them is a dead shepherd? We may recall here another quite startling title used about Jesus in this Gospel: he is the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (1:29,35). In the Apocalypse we find these two images, Lamb and Shepherd, combined: The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (7:17).
Five times in the eight verses of today’s Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about laying down his life. Clearly, then, this is the most important thing he does as Shepherd. This defines how he is the “Good Shepherd”. Jesus will be perfectly faithful to the mission given him by God his Father, precisely by laying down his life. Jesus leads his sheep, we note (10:16): he does not drive them. He goes ahead of them; he calls them, and they freely follow him. Unlike ordinary shepherds, Jesus is totally given, for the sake of his sheep, that is, for us. He did not come to exploit us, to use us, to profit from us, but only in order to give us life (10:10). And he does that, above all, by leading us through death to life. Jesus lays down his life for us, but then he takes it up again (10:17,18). He dies and rises for us, and with us, and he leads us then to a share in his resurrection from the dead. This risen life of course is life with God. So Jesus the Good Shepherd leads us to God his Father. We could flesh out that statement by saying also that Jesus leads us to communion; to love; to glory; to holiness; to purity of heart; to goodness, to joy in God’s eternity.
What about the wolf who comes to ravage and scatter the sheep? He must in the first place represent death. He could also represent sin, which separates us from God, and thereby puts us in the place of death. No one apart from Jesus can rescue us from this wolf; but Jesus can and does rescue us. Jesus has confronted this wolf for our sake, and defeated it. This is the message of Easter; this is our faith; this is why we’re here now. Again we could flesh out this simple figure, and say that the wolf represents also things like division, un-charity, enmity, temptation or infidelity; he represents also false doctrine; or he could represent persecution. So this wolf is always still prowling about; always ravenous to devour; always still seeking his prey.
Confronted by this wolf, we need to recall often what our faith teaches us: that Jesus remains forever the Good Shepherd. He never abandons us; he is with us always; he is always ready to lead us, guide us, support us, encourage us, set us right when we stray; to keep us going when we’re tempted to give up; to bring us back when we turn aside from our journey. Jesus does this by his constant presence and power; by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and by word and Sacrament.
At the end of St. John’s Gospel, after the resurrection, Jesus solemnly gives a commission to St. Peter: Feed my sheep (21:17). So after the Ascension Jesus feeds his sheep above all through his Church, and through the Pastors of the Church who are to represent him. The task of these Shepherds is to mediate Jesus; to bring Jesus to people, and people to Jesus. The sacred Pastors feed the flock entrusted to them by word and Sacrament. They guide and help us all to God, to life, to heaven. Please note that these Shepherds are not in the first place politicians. Their task in the first place is to point beyond this world; not to make this world a better place. Today especially we pray for our Pastors. Their job is definitely not easy, so they very much need our prayers. We beg the Lord also to raise up new faithful and authentic Pastors for his Church. We need to ask this, because there is no guarantee that all Pastors will necessarily be good. Church history, alas, is littered with the shameful doings of unfaithful pastors. They are the hirelings against whom Jesus warned us (10:12). Unfortunately by their position they have great capacity to damage and to divide the Church. Happily though, history is also full of Saints who have been truly faithful disciples of Jesus, and true servants of his people. They will come again, raised up by the Holy Spirit. We stand ready to give such Shepherds all the support we can, in whatever way we can. We need them, so we listen to them, we obey them, and we thank God for them. We ask him also to reward them very abundantly for all their generous service, for his beloved people, for his Kingdom, and for his glory.