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PART II
16. THE CROSS AND THE
SHEPHERD
"…be ready for all things, remembering the example of the Good Shepherd, whose servants they are, who laid down His life for His sheep."
(
One of the most beautiful
images Christ gives of Himself is that of the Good Shepherd, an image that the
people in Jesus' time could relate to well, especially the poor. Shepherds were
looked down upon by others, especially the wealthy people in society. The Old
Testament shows us that prominent figures are shepherds, like Abraham, Moses,
Joseph of Egypt, and David. Shepherds in the ancient world had a very close
relationship with their sheep. Unlike today, where those who own sheep have
them in great numbers; back then, a shepherd may have had a dozen or so sheep,
and therefore got to know well each one and gave each a name.
"The gatekeeper opens it for him,
and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them
out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep
follow him, because they recognize his voice." (John 10:3-4)
The shepherd would lead them
to where pasture could be found, and would be willing to fight off fierce
animals that would want to attack the sheep for food. That meant a risk for the
shepherds who could lose their lives in the process.
In fact, the paschal meal was
built on a festive meal in
Jesus, then, is the perfect
Shepherd who feeds us with the 'pastures of eternal life' (the Eucharist)…he
leads us to the living waters, and lays down his life for his 'sheep'.
"I am the good shepherd. A good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees
a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and
scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the
sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the
sheep." (John 11-15)
Jesus also builds on the
image of Psalm 23, a favorite among Christians, especially
for occasions of funerals.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is
nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still
waters he leads me; he restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for
the sake of his name. 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
comfort me. You set a table before me in front of my enemies; you anoint
my head with oil; my cup overflows. Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me
all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for
endless days. (Psalm 23)
Notice the connection with
the last supper, with the mention of the table,
and preparing a place in the house
of the Father, where he will prepare us a place.
"In my Father’s house there are
many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going
to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may
be." (John 14:2-3)
No doubt, with this
background, the passage from the gospel of John comes alive, as Jesus gives up
his life for us, His sheep, and feeds us with His body and blood, just as the shepherds lead their sheep to where
there is pasture and water to feed on. In fact, Jesus is also referred to as
the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, which is based on the
'lamb of expiation' for the sins in
“Like a sheep he was led to the
slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his
mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)
To understand better the
image of the Good Shepherd who risks his life for the sake of saving 'his sheep
from attacks of wild animals' (John 10:11), there is an interesting short film,
[1]
which shows this in the context of a loving father, bridge tender of a
drawbridge, who allows his son to die on a railway track in order to save the
lives of passengers on a train passing by. The son actually risks his life also
by rushing to do what his father had not observed: the train was coming too
early, and the drawbridge had to be lowered at once after a boat had gone by.
The timing is crucial and the boy runs to the tracks with intent to get the
bridge lowered. However he accidently falls in the process, to the point that
if the bridge is lowered, he would be crushed. When the father realizes that
the train is on its way, and sees his son fall, he is left with the horrendous
choice of saving his son at the expense of the people on the train; or allowing
his son to die, by pulling the lever to lower the bridge for the train to pass,
but at the expense of crushing his son. He chooses to sacrifice his son.
The film highlights different
people on the train with their problems like a drug addict, an angry person,
etc., who were in need of help. No doubt, the comparison is that God the Father
allows his Son to sacrifice himself for the salvation of the world.
We must bear in mind that the
film has its limitations. God the Father did not kill his son to save others.
Jesus, the Son of God, gave his life freely in order to save the world in
accordance with the will of the Father. It was not an accident. However,
leaving aside the limitations, the message of God's Love for us is powerful.
Most of all then, the story
is about a single father, who is willing to sacrifice the life of his son, in
exchange for saving all the people on the train, which is a way of
understanding that God the Father allows his Son, with his consent, to die on
the Cross, as a way of jolting us out of our stupor; and in this way, to save
us all from spiritual and eternal death. When we are shocked to see the Son on
the Cross because of our sins, and realize how much God loves us, it should help us renounce sin and be befriended by a
God, who loves us in the extreme.
And so by embracing a life of love, we can love God and others as God has loved
us.