Jn.10:27-30
Years ago, the great actor Richard Burton was given a grand reception in his home parish. While delivering his thanksgiving speech in the auditorium, he asked the parishioners whether they specially wanted to hear anything from him. After a slight pause, his old pastor asked him if he could recite the Good Shepherd Psalm, ps. 23, which he had taught Burton in his catechism class. A strange look came over the actor’s face. However, he agreed on the condition that once he finishes, his master would do the same. The retired pastor was puzzled and said: ‘I am not an actor, but if you wish it, I shall do so.’ So the actor began the recitation of the Psalm. His voice and intonation were perfect. The audience was taken aback, and when he finished, there was a great burst of applause broke from the audience. Then came the turn of the old pastor; he got up from his wheelchair and began to recite the Psalm. His voice was feeble and shivering, but the tone was not faultless, but when he finished the Psalm, there were not many dry eyes in that auditorium Instead, burst all into tears. The actor got up from the seat, his voice quivered and said. ‘Ladies and gentleman, I reached to your eyes and ears, but my old pastor reached to your hearts. The difference is this: I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.’
Spirituality should not be weighed down by the grace that we receive from God. It all comes down to my relationship with God; how much do I know about his personality? It is a deep journey within, knowing one’s own self, we arrive at our own creator, who gave us the grace of existence out of his unconditional love for each one of us. It is a mutual knowledge of each other. Of course, God, in his omnipotence, has known our deepest selves since the beginning of time. But do we know God? It is impossible to comprehend the infinite reality of God. We have a great revelation of Abba Father in the person of Jesus, the eternal Word who made flesh and lived with us. However, do we know Jesus? Do we recognise Jesus as the source of knowledge concerning Abba Father?
Today’s gospel passage is situated in the context of the festival of dedication of the Jerusalem temple. Wherein Jews approach Jesus and ask him if they need to wait for someone else or is he the Messiah? In fact, they all knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah. We see that when Jesus began his public ministry, he fulfilled all these prophecies and laws concerning him one by one. Jesus clearly indicated to them that he was the one sent by the Father and anointed one of Yahweh. They always approached Jesus with their prejudiced minds and tried to understand the person of Jesus from his socio-economic and familial background. They witnessed the messianic signs of Jesus, yet hardened their hearts and turned their backs to the words of Jesus.
Jesus clearly tells them that they do not belong to his flock. The sheep that belong to his flock listen to the voice of their shepherd and they follow him, which means they orient their lives according to the words of their shepherd. The shepherd is not unknown to the sheep. They know for sure that their shepherd will lead them to the pastures of eternal life. This eternal life is not merely a state of heaven alone. It is God himself who has got the fulness of life. Jesus has come to us to make us partakers of this divine life, which is the fulness of life. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10)
He will never abandon his flock. No one can forcefully separate us from him because he is the good shepherd who would give up his own life so that we might be empowered to live a graceful life in the face of our enemies as a result of his meritorious sacrifice. The pasture that he leads his flock is the Trinitarian life along with his Father and the Holy Spirit. He enjoys perfect unity with His Father. Similarly, listening to his voice and following him, one should enter into their Trinitarian communion with the Holy Trinity along with all the other saints and angels. It is the Father who entrusts sheep to Jesus. Here, the flock is in the possession of both the Father and the Son. It marks the belonginess of a believer and assures us of the caring love of the Trinity in our lives. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Ps. 23:4)
Our spiritual journey should be based on this aspect of knowing the shepherd through our listening and following him. Unless and until we know our shepherd, we can not belong to his flock. If we don’t belong to his flock, then it is easy for the enemies to separate us from the Trinitarian communion by developing a stubborn heart towards God’s words and grace. It is due to the stubbornness of the heart that the Israelites could not recognise and accept the person of Jesus. It is true that Jesus did not have the external glory of a Dravidic king, yet he fulfilled all the prophecies and laws concerning him without fail. He performed all the Messianic signs, such as preaching Good News to the poor, healing the blind, healing the lame, cleansing a leper, healing the deaf, raising the dead, etc. These occurrences were a clear indication of his Messianic identity. Even then, they failed miserably and slipped away from his shepherding gaze. As we continue our faith journey, let us seek his grace to grow in our belonginess to him as our shepherd and in the trinitarian communion which encompasses our lives.