URGENT NEED FOR GOOD SHEPHERDS
In the face of insecurity,
hopelessness, aridity, uncertainties, and fears; fears of the known and the
unknown, of the armed, of the forces seen and unseen, of bandits, of
kidnappers, of principalities and powers, of 'chi boo anu ozo', we
really need a shepherd.
We are called to be good
shepherds at different levels. We are suffering today because those who were
supposed to shepherd us failed us. We need good shepherds in the homes, in the
Church, in our various religions, in politics and governance. We need good
shepherds now and always. In Christ, we have the good Shepherd. He gives us the
LCM of being good shepherds and good sheep.
SELFLESSNESS
Jesus says that the good Shepherd
lays down his life. He gave us example of this on the cross. How ready are you
to lay down your life, to sacrifice, to suffer for the good of those entrusted
to your care?
We have among us leaders who do
not care about the plight of their people. We have leaders who are serving
their personal interests and the interests of the enemies of their people. We
have leaders who care only about what they will gain and how to hold their
staff’s firm for years of futility. The Good Shepherd according to the
definition of Christ thinks of giving his life in exchange for his sheep. He wants
to lose for the good of his sheep. He gives his all; his time, talents and
treasure. He gives up his pride, he makes himself available, he is responsive
and responsible.
HE IS NOT A WOLF
The Good Shepherd chases away the
wolves that comes to scatter and kill the sheep. But the bad one flees because
he is hired. He doesn't care for the sheep. The health of the sheep doesn't
matter to him. He will run away to another country when pandemics and epidemics
strike leaving the sheep to perish. He will take his family abroad when
insecurity caused by his insensitivity hits the nation. He condones external
aggressors who come to feed on his people with insurgency and hidden evil
agenda. He in short befriends the wolves and becomes a wolf to His sheep. But a
Good Shepherd drives far away whatever force that threatens the life and
well-being of his sheep.
HE KNOWS THE SHEEP AND THEY
KNOW HIM
There used to be a time when
people and pupils took time to know the names and positions of their leaders as
part of current affairs.
But today, we do not know our
shepherds because they don't care about us. They are very far from us. They
prefer to shepherd us from abroad. They shepherd us from TV, their live
broadcasts are not even life enough. They read to us what has been written long
ago that has nothing to do with our present situations. They do not know how bad our roads are. They
do not allow us to see them. They are in their tinted cars. They use jets. What
we endure is none of their problem. They do not listen to us. It is sad.
Do you know your sheep as a
shepherd? Do you know your children as the Shepherd of your family? Do you
really know what they do? Do you have time for them? 'Onye no mmadu nso na
anu ishi onu ya'(you know someone better when you draw closer to him) when
do you come back to your home? When the children return for holidays, do you
give them time or send them off for holiday lessons without parental attention?
Know your sheep dad and mum.
Church leaders, do you know the
faithful entrusted to your care? Do you give them the required pastoral
attention? That world shepherd is the root of pastor and involves pasturing. Do
you know the pastoral needs of your flock? Do you give them the real word of
God? Do you make yourself available for them to guide, counsel and direct
them? Do you have any special options
for the poor and needy, the marginalized, the vulnerable and the sick among
them? We need more of Good pastors than
milkers and milking machines.
CARE FOR THE OTHER SHEEP
There must be other sheep. Jesus
affirms in the Gospel: "And I have other sheep that are not of this
fold".
I want to understand this as 'emenyere
nwa Ogwugwu, E menyere nwa Anosike...'( Inclusivesnes, fairness, justice), E
nye ndi ebe a enye ndi ebea ( equal distribution). A Good leader must be
outreaching. He must have an open hand and open heart. A good leader is not
supposed to be partial, racial or discriminatory. He should be Catholic,
universal. He should have an open door policy that incorporates everyone. He
should carry everyone along.
This is the problem we are facing
in our country Nigeria. Everything is one-sided. The marginalization rate went
so high resulting to the anarchy and chaos we face. Bad leadership is a
disease.
Let us always think of the other
sheep: the children of your neighbour, other states apart from yours, other
religions outside your own, other political zones, other parties, other
denominations, other XYZ. It is a divine mandate to carry all along.
ARISE SHEPHERDS
Let all the Shepherds rise up to
their responsibilities. Pastors should be good enough to speak with courage the
truth and nothing but the truth to their sheep that the enemy is scattering.
Let love for money not silence the voice of reasoning and of righteousness. Let
fear of death never put off the the
passion to save our people from perishing. Let intimidations not make us to be
shortchanged. Let's stand up with our staff to defend our people, encourage
their good efforts and motivate them to be good all the time.
Our political leaders should accept
that they have failed us totally. Let them rise and remedy the remediable
because the wolves are now in our midst ready to claw and crush. Let them speak
with love, passion and affection to our people, retrace their steps and start
shepherding us well. Let them lead us well, govern us well and police well too
in the words of African China the singer.
Let our people change and become
good followers. Let us be disposed for peace. Let us prepare to fight evil as a
people. Let us listen to our Good shepherds and flee from bad ones who are as
good as wolves.
Let us all at our different
levels and in various capacities promote Vocation to the priesthood, to good
leadership in the world and be all led into heaven at last.
LET US PRAY
We need Good shepherds urgently
Lord. Do not leave us without them. Forgive us for failing to follow the paths
and teachings of Christ the Good Shepherd par excellence. Bless us with
visionary leaders. Protect us and keep us safe with Your strong holy hands
through Christ our Lord. Amen
Happy Good Shepherd Sunday to you
(Yr B)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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