I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

IV EASTER SUNDAY - John 10:11-18

I came to Luanda, Angola, invited to be present at the ordination to the priesthood of the deacon Constantino Mario Chingalule who finished his formation in the Seminary of the Good News Missionary Society, in Valadares, Portugal. Taking place on the Saturday before the Good Shepherd Sunday, his ordination could not happen on a better occasion. As a priest, Fr. Constantino is called to share in Jesus’ ministry as a shepherd. Jesus presented himself as the good shepherd. Being a good shepherd means putting one’s life at the service of the flock, that is the community. Indeed, “the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.”

The shepherd has the duty not only to accompany the flock but to look after them as well. He must care for the well-being of the sheep, leading them to good pastures and clean drinking places. There are moments when he must be in front and the sheep will follow him and moments when he stays at the back, making sure that none of the sheep lags or goes astray. The good shepherd must be ready to protect and defend the flock, even if that endangers his life. As a good shepherd, he knows each one of the sheep and they put their trust in him, recognising that he loves them and does everything possible for them to have life and find salvation.

As we look to the Church at the end of the first quarter of the XXI century, we realise that we are in dear need of good shepherds in the Church who minister to the Church with a deep commitment, offering their lives at the service of the Kingdom of God in faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Some preach themselves instead of the Gospel, proposing new theories or accepting the prevailing ones in the world around them. The seduction of the current ideologies is stronger than the commitment to the Church. We may easily forget that we must be servants of the word of God. A good shepherd must be a true prophet who facilitates the communication of God’s word.

Whenever there is an ordination, we must rejoice and give thanks to God because there are so few that there are not enough priests to replace the ones that depart from this world. Very few young people are ready to hear the call and commit their lives to the service of the Gospel. We must pray to the Lord and entreat him to bring labourers to his vineyard: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” (Mt 9:37-38)