Last year after Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, a friend shared an incident in Southern California where a flock of sheep blocked one of the highways during rush hour causing a traffic gridlock.
What happened was the shepherd of the flock fell asleep, and his flock wandered into the highway and became the subject of a massive “clearing operation” complete with news coverage.
The shepherd finally appeared and called out, in Spanish, to his flock. His voice rose above the din and, as if on cue, the entire flock of sheep raised their heads and turned to look at the shepherd.
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” This is the affinity we, his flock, have with Christ, our shepherd. It is a deep bond that is instinctive and spiritual. This is the bond that authentic human shepherds develop; a deep connection not just of the mind, but of the heart and soul.
A Filipino word comes close, nagkakapalagayang-loob, a connection of the core. This is the fruit of the process of a shepherd and a flock coming together and getting to know each other. In short, this is earned by the shepherd.
Christian spirituality
The beginning or entry point can be characterized by Ignatius of Loyola’s wise counsel to the Jesuits in the early years of the order’s ministry. He said, if you want to influence others you must enter their door and take them out from your door.
This Ignatian principle remains one of the basic principles of Jesuit education. It is, I think, core to the Incarnational characteristic not just of Ignatian spirituality but of Christian spirituality. This is Christ who “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2: 6-7)
This is the beginning of being an authentic shepherd, to enter the world—their hopes and fears, their dreams and disappointments, their joys and tears—of the people one is to shepherd by emptying ourselves.
But more needs to come. After the entry the true test of the authentic shepherd comes. Perhaps this is the crux of authenticity.
Let us go back to the Southern California drama. The rescue teams and “victimized” motorists surely called out to the flock but failed to move them an inch but, with one call from their shepherd, with near military precision, they all turned toward him and followed.
As we stated earlier, the flock had a special bond with their authentic shepherd.
When I used to train the new teachers of the Ateneo de Manila High School, one of the questions I would ask at the start of training is, “What is your first order of business with your new students?” Of course, responses would vary from the profound to the funny.
Then I would synthesize: Establish your authority; enter their door, listen to them, know them; let them know and feel you care for them, especially for their success as students; and take them out from your door—love them into excellence.
This is the authentic shepherd. He/she has authority over his/her flock, an authority that Fr. Horacio dela Costa, S.J., says is life-giving; truly entering the world of his/her flock in complete solidarity, emptying the self that he/she may hear, feel and know the flock.
This is an authority and solidarity that not only gives life but liberates; gives the flock the freedom to choose and the greatest choice with the greatest freedom.