I don’t know about you but my knowledge of shepherding is next to nothing. The last time I came across a flock of sheep was in 1 BC (before Covid) when I was walking in the hills. The encounter was literally fleeting as the sheep ran away at the very sight of me. Based on my superficial knowledge of sheep rearing in Scotland and ancient practices that I know about from my biblical education I can say that there are significant differences between the two. However, I’m not going to delve into them because the metaphor of the Good Shepherd used by Jesus to describe himself is quite clear. So, instead of offering you a pious version of mansplaining, I’d like to focus on something else…
The metaphor of the Good Shepherd is very often used as a vocational tool for the promotion of priestly vocations. The underlying message is that we need new good shepherds – i.e. priests – to serve the faithful as pastors. It’s all jolly good but it can unintentionally create expectations which are impossible to fulfil. On the one hand, newly ordained priests can quickly realise that parish ministry is a far cry from their romantic vision. On the other hand, parishioners can quickly realise that their priest is a right pain in the neck rather than a good shepherd – as you know all too well… So, let’s debunk some myths about priests and their pastoral ministry; all of us might benefit from that.
Firstly, we must understand that Jesus applied the image of the Good Shepherd to himself only. In a well-known passage in St John’s gospel Jesus, after his resurrection, charged Simon Peter with the task of looking after His sheep in a striking manner: ‘feed my lambs, […] tend my sheep, […] feed my sheep’ (John 21:15-17). In other words, Jesus retained His authority over his flock while He deputised Simon Peter with practical or tangible aspects of the spiritual care. Consequently, Jesus Christ remains the Good Shepherd while the Church ministers are His instruments in providing pastoral care. Clergymen are effectively herdsmen for Jesus the Good Shepherd. As priests, we ought to look up to our Master Shepherd and try to carry out His wishes but none of us will ever replace Him. Personally, such a realisation prevents me from developing the Messiah syndrome; a delusion that can easily affect clergymen.
The Church carries out the charge of looking after the flock through her bishops. Some people might consider them as clergymen wearing fancier ecclesiastical fashion accessories than regular priests, but those bits symbolise a special role that bishops play in the community of the Church. One of those accessories is a crosier which originated from a pastoral staff and is shaped like a pastoral crook. It symbolises the bishop’s authority and responsibility for a certain part of the community of the Church, the diocese. He’s in charge of all aspects of the life of the Church in his diocese and his prerogatives are very broad; he’s fairly independent within the boundaries of Canon Law. I know it’s a bit boring but there are people out there who make silly comments or accusations out of ignorance on these matters.
Back to the main theme… If the bishop is a deputy good shepherd, what role do the ordained priests and deacons play? Unlike the Good Shepherd, the Risen Christ, the bishop as a human being is limited by time and space like anyone else. He physically cannot do everything by himself; as priests, we are his representatives across the diocese. Whatever I do in my capacity as a parish priest, I do it under the bishop’s authority. It’s a bit oversimplified but it’s as if the bishop himself celebrates this Mass; though he’d probably cringe at the thought that I might stamp his authority upon this sermon as if he were delivering it…
It’s time to draw some conclusions. Firstly, the Good Shepherd, the Risen Christ continues to look after you. You’ve got His full attention 24/7; no need to make arrangements or book a slot. Because He is God, unlimited by time or space, He’s available anytime and anywhere to everyone. In a tangible way, Jesus looks after you through the ministry of the Church and her ordained ministers. However, unlike the Good Shepherd, those pastors are limited by time, space and their specific capabilities. It’s worth remembering that as priests, we work for the Good Shepherd but we are not Him. We can and most of us do aspire to be as close a reflection of Jesus as possible, but let’s be realistic – none of us ever will be. As human beings, we have to juggle a great number of demands, expectations, needs and requests in order to accommodate them within the limited time and space at our disposal. I can only speak for myself; as your parish priest I always try to do my best; well, I’ve just realised that this doesn’t really sound very reassuring… Well, now you understand why you have to pray for new priestly vocations; so you can get a priest that will do his job properly!