It is 25th April 2021. It is the fourth Sunday of Easter. We celebrate the Good Shepherd Sunday as the vocation Sunday.
We can see the three ways of God relating to God’s people: The Father and the children; the husband and the wife; and the Shepherd and the sheep. God is portrayed mostly in the third way. (Is. 40:11; Jeremiah 23:3-4; Ez. 34:11-16: Ps. 23). People experienced and realized that God is a good shepherd who cares for them. God, who led them, fed them, protected them from enemy attack and made them into a people.
Jesus emphasises the self-sacrificing element in his own life: “The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.”
In the first reading, the apostles were accused of doing good on the Sabbath day. But St. Peter boldly proclaimed that it was the faith in Jesus that healed the crippled person. The first reading and the psalm highlights the choice of God. “the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.”
One shepherd had more than 100 sheep. He used to pasture them nearby forest. One day suddenly a tiger came out of the bush towards the lamb. He wanted to cross the river flowing to the full, but the bridge was broken. So, he lay down and connected the bridge and the shore so that the sheep could cross safely. While they were crossing in a fear, they were trampling the shepherd on his should and made him wounded and eventually all the sheep cross the river, but the shepherd was so wounded he could not regain his consciousness. The tiger ate him to satisfy his hunger.
Just like most of you, I like the image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” (Ps.23:1). Moses, David, the prophet Amos, and many others are shepherds mentioned in the Scripture before Jesus, none was mentioned as Good Shepherd.
Many authors reflect the readings of the day relating to pastoral work and pastoral agents, I would like to reflect with you shepherding in the domestic church, the family.
Emulating the model of Jesus, the Good Shepherd we can shepherd our families. Jesus knows every family intimately, leading and offering life in Abundance.
Enter the life of the children through Jesus, who is the door. “I am the gate for the sheep.” (Jn.10:9). Introduce Jesus to the children at the early stages of their development. Mother introduces the father; father introduces the family; the father and mother together introduce the child to Jesus.
A priest visited a family who had few children to talk about serving God, the Church, and the suffering humanity. The priests asked the children who wants to serve God. All of them put their hands up. Seeing their parents staring at them, all dropped their hands down. So, the priest asked any one you wish to send for the service of the Lord. Then the father explained to the priest that each one of his children has the ambition to become doctor, engineer, and businessperson except one who does not study well. He suggested the priest to consider the boy who does not perform well in the school.
A community that does not contribute towards the priesthood, brotherhood, and sisterhood for the welfare of the humanity through the Church, dies gradually. We cannot always import priests, sisters, and brothers from other countries not willing to offer our children for the service of the Church and the humanity. Have you ever whispered a prayer for vocation in your family? Have you ever had a heart-to-heart talk to your child serving God in the Church? We need to offer God the best.
Notice children when they are doing good than catching them when they are doing bad. Domestic shepherding depends on and deepens the relationship by spiritual nourishment by the Word and the Bread of life. when a child misbehaves, we need to go after them, not leaving them to get lost by our guilty pampering attitudes. As the Good Shepherd challenges by looking for that one lost sheep. Family cannot accept when someone has lost their way back home as “just one of those things.” The Shepherd celebrates and shares the joy with the others when sought and found the lost one.
Shepherds know the sheep personally and intimately. (Jn.10:14). Shepherding is not to show the authority over the sheep rather to have concern and care even at the expense of foregoing the comforts and pleasures. The fruitful and positive parenting that we need to promote in families need to include caring, guiding, teaching and empowering than rigorous disciplining and being insensitive to the needs of the children. Knowing children in a personal level includes knowing and respecting the children’s interests, fun and leisure.
Good shepherd communicates constantly, regularly and in touch with the sheep. For family shepherding to be fruitful, the parents are to communicate with children regularly, non-violently, and consistently. Communication in parental shepherding needs to be simple, direct, and open that conveys exactly without exaggeration.
Good shepherd leads the sheep to the greener pasture without using force and aggressiveness. Family shepherding enlightens the children find their future not the dreams and aspirations of the parents. It is a warm and loving way of guiding and affection without nagging, advising, and ignoring the dreams of the children.
Good shepherd is warm, loving and provides security. Shepherding the family without warmth, love and security is running a paid hostel. Being optimistic means to lead the stray again and again without strangling their hopes. The stray could be one of the spouses or children.
Good Shepherds love is boundless, courage is immeasurable, and the concern is heroic. In our families, we need to inculcate such deep love, courage, and concern without walking on the foot of the other.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (Jn.10:10). Good Shepherd offers life and allows the life to be meaningful and joyful. Shepherding in our families need to protect life and make the children to blossom in their pace, and space. The unconditional love and positive regard for the spouse and the children are critical for the domestic shepherding. Mending the fences of the children and never to encroach the boundaries of them by nurturing their best interests.
May the Lord bless all our families during this pandemic times by our loving, affectionate, and non-judgmental relationship with one another. Have a lovely day.