Gospel: John 10:11-18

11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

I know my own and my own know me...

St. John is giving us an excellent allegory taken from the life of a good shepherd. Let us try to understand the difference between a parable and an allegory.

A parable is a popular example or story Jesus used to simplify his teaching, and make it accessible and understandable even to the most simple people. It should be taken as a whole and comprehensive meaning, including the sometimes questionable details we see in the parable of the ten women, five wise and five foolish, waiting for the arrival of the groom. A party taking place without the presence of the groom is not normal in eastern culture, but the comprehensive aim of the parable is to highlight the wise awareness and the reasonable readiness for the reception of the groom upon his arrival, hinting at the last day.

An allegory describes an event or a situation where all the details, one by one are real and accurate. Every verse refers to an experience or event people can see, touch and learn from. Here, Jesus is using one of the most popular scenes in the countryside—a shepherd that people are used to seeing every day and admiring how he cares for his sheep. It’s a lovely image that they even turned into a psalm of praise, trust, confidence and contentment. Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil."

In the Gospel passage we read this Sunday, all the details apply to Jesus’s Person—His love, His knowledge, His guidance, His protection, His providing food, His beverage, His rest and, beyond all, giving Himself for His lambs. A distinctive point to think about is the reciprocated knowledge between the Shepherd and His sheep. He belongs to them as they belong to Him. When they not only hear His voice, but listen to it, they know Him and follow Him.

At this point, Jesus makes clear the difference between the owner of the lambs and the hired shepherd who will not risk himself to fight a fierce wolf that would attack the sheep. The owner gives himself to protect and save his own, and so Jesus as the good Shepherd, out of love and care for his own, freely gives Himself to save His sheep.

Everything should please the Father because of the quality of love filtered through our acts. God loves Jesus because He gives Himself for his sheep. True love can never betray itself. Love manifests its depth when it accepts hard decisions or positions, even to sacrifice oneself for the sake of his beloved ones. Jesus gives His life freely. Nobody can impose that on him. This is the ultimate love nobody could achieve without a deeply rooted faith in God, who is rightly considered the prototype of love and self sacrifice.

Self-giving may not be of our modern time, but it is an integral part of our Christian Faith. If we hear His voice and follow Him as the Model for Life, we then know that love has value beyond any price. It includes sacrifices, time, energy, means of survival and much more self-denial and self-sacrifice for the sake of the loved one(s). This kind of love doesn't expect anything in return. It is love for love, giving life for life, like the springs of water flowing without expecting any reward, or like the flowers, when, even crushed, they give their aromatic fragrance to those who crush them! So true Love should be.

The early church loved this allegory and depicted its meaning through art, frescoes, paintings, etc. One of the most expressive is the statue of a shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders and the lamb is larger than the shepherd himself. This teaches that the trust of faith is more important than the one it is entrusted to. We are reminded of our Lord as our trustworthy shepherd who cares for us today as much as we belong to him, listening and hearing his voice.

Let us pray for our Church leaders, for the newly called to Church ministry and for all those ordained to administrate His Trust, that they may fulfill their ministry with dignity and honor, offering a model of good shepherds among the faithful. May we hear His voice within ourselves and follow Him wherever and whenever we are invited to give with faith and love!

Father Kamal - April 25, 2021