Dom Prosper Gueranger:
This Sunday goes under the name of the Good Shepherd Sunday because in the Mass there is read the Gospel of Saint John in which our Lord calls Himself by this name. How very appropriate is this passage of the Gospel to this present Season when our Divine Master began His work of establishing and consolidating the Church by giving it the Pastor, or Shepherd, who was to govern it to the end of time!
In accordance with the eternal decree, the Man-God, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, is to withdraw His visible presence from the world. He is not to be again seen on the earth till the Last Day when He will come again to judge the living and the dead. And yet, He could never abandon mankind for which He offered Himself on the Cross, and which He delivered from death and Hell by rising triumphantly from the grave. He will continue to be its Head after His Ascension into heaven: but what will we have on earth to supply His place? We will have the Church. It is to the Church that He will leave all His own authority to rule us. It is into the hands of the Church that He will entrust all the truths He has taught. It is the Church that He will make the dispenser of all those means of salvation which He has destined for the world.
This Church is a society to which all mankind is invited. It is composed of two classes of members: the governing and the governed, the teaching and the taught, the sanctifying and the sanctified. This society is the Spouse of Christ. It is by her that He produces His elect. She is the one only Mother of the elect. Out of her bosom there is no salvation. But how is this society to subsist? How is it to persevere through the long ages of time, even to the Last Day? Who is to give it unity and adhesion of its parts? What is to be the visible link between its members, the palpable sign of its being the true Spouse of Christ in the event of other societies rising up and disputing her titles? If Jesus Himself could have remained with us, we should have had nothing to fear, for where He is, there also are truth and life. But as He says, He is going, and we may not as yet follow Him. Give ear, then, and learn what is the primary quality of the true Spouse of Christ.
Jesus was one day, previous to His Passion, in the country of Caesarea Philippi. His Apostles were standing around Him, and He began questioning them about what they thought of Him. One of them, Simon the son of John or Jonas, and brother to Andrew, answered in the name of all, and said: “You are Christ, the Son of the living God!” (Matthew xvi. 16). Jesus expressed His pleasure at receiving Simon’s testimony, which was not the result of any human knowledge, but the expression of a divine revelation there and then granted to him. And He immediately told this Apostle that from that time forward he was to be, not Simon, but Peter (which means a Rock). Christ had been spoken of by the Prophets under the name of a Rock, or Stone (Isaias xxviii. 16). By thus solemnly conferring on His disciple a title so characteristically that of the Messiah, Jesus would give us to understand that Simon was to have a something in common with Himself which the other Apostles were not to have. After saying to him: “You are Peter, (that is, you are the Rock)” — He added: “And upon this Rock I will build my Church” (Matthew xvi. 18).
Let us weigh the force of these words of the Son of God: “He will build my Church.” He has, then, a project in view — He intends to build a Church. It is not now that He will build it, but at some future period. But one thing we already know as a certainty — it is, that this Church will be built on Peter. Peter will be its foundation and whoever is not on that foundation will not belong to the Church. Let us again give ear to the Text: “And the gates of Hell will not prevail against my Church.” In scriptural language gates signify the powers: the Church of Christ, therefore, is to be proof against all the efforts of Hell. And why? Because the foundation, which Jesus is to give to it, will be one that no power can shake. The Son of God continues: “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.” In the language of the Jews, keys signify the power of governing, and in the Gospel Parables the kingdom of Heaven is the Church built by Christ. By saying to Peter (which is henceforth to be Simon’s name), “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven,” Jesus implied this: “I will make you the king of my Church, of which you are to be the foundation!” Nothing could be clearer. But let us remember that all these magnificent promises regard the future.
That future has now become the present. We are now come to the last days of Jesus’ visible presence here below. The time is come for Him to make good His promise and found the Kingdom of God — that Church which he was to build on the earth. The Apostles, in obedience to the order sent them by the Angels, are come into Galilee. Our Lord appears to them on the shore of the lake of Tiberias: after providing them with a mysterious repast, and while they are all attentive to His words, He suddenly addresses Himself to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (John xxi. 15) Observe, He does not call Him Peter. He, as it were, goes back to the day when He said to him: “Simon, son of Jonas, you are Peter.” He would have His disciples note the connection between the promise and its actual fulfilment. Peter with his usual eagerness answers His Master’s question: “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus resumes with a tone of authority: “Feed my lambs!” Then repeating the question, He says: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter is surprised at His Master’s urging such an inquiry. Still, he answers with the same simplicity as before: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”: and as soon as he had given answer, Jesus repeats the words of investiture: “Feed my lambs!” The disciples respectfully listen to this dialogue. They see plainly that, here again, Peter is made an object of Jesus’ partiality, and is receiving a something which they themselves are not to receive. They remember what happened at Cesarea Philippi, and how, ever since that day, Peter has been treated by their Master with especial honour. And yet, there is another privilege or office to be added to this of feeding the lambs. A third time, then, Jesus says to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” This is too much for the Apostle. These three questionings of his love bring to his mind the three denials he had so sinfully made to the servant girl of Caiphas. He feels the allusion to his recent infidelity, and this third time his answer implies a prayer for forgiveness. His reply bespeaks humility rather than assurance: “Lord!” says he, “you know all things! You know that I love you!” Then, making Peter’s authority complete, Jesus pronounces these imposing words: “Feed my sheep!” (John xxi. 17)
Here, then, we have Peter made Shepherd by Him who says of Himself: “I am the good Shepherd.” Firstly, our Lord gives His Apostle, and twice over, the care of his lambs. This does not make him the complete Shepherd, but when He bids him feed His sheep too, the whole flock is subjected to his authority. Now, therefore, let the Church show herself, let her take her stand, let her spread herself through the length and breadth of the nations. Simon, the son of John, is proclaimed its visible head. Is the Church a building? He is the Foundation-Stone, the Petra, the Rock. Is she a kingdom? he holds the keys, that is, the sceptre. Is she a fold? He is the Shepherd. Yes, this Church which Jesus is now organising, and is to be proclaimed to the world on the day of Pentecost, is to be a fold. The Word, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, is come down from heaven that He may gather together in one the children of God, that were dispersed (John xi. 52) and the time is at hand when there will be but one Fold and one Shepherd (John x. 16). O Jesus! our Divine Shepherd! We bless you, we give you thanks. It is by you that the Church you are now founding subsists and lives through every age, congregating and saving all that put themselves under her guidance. Her authority, her strength, her unity, all come from you, her infinitely powerful and merciful Shepherd! We likewise bless and thank you for that you have secured this authority, this strength, this unity, by giving us Peter as your Vicar, Peter our Shepherd in and by you, Peter to whom all, both Sheep and Lambs, owe obedience, Peter in whom you, our Divine Head, will be forever visible, even to the end of the world!
Epistle – 1 Peter ii. 21‒25
Dearly beloved, Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow His steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. Who, when He was reviled, did not revile; when He suffered, He threatened not, but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly. Who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live to justice. By by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray, but you are now converted to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Thanks be to God.
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
It is the Prince of the Apostles, the visible Shepherd of the universal Church, who addresses these words to us. Observe how he ends by turning our thoughts to the invisible Shepherd whose Vicar he is, and how carefully he avoids any allusion to himself. So, also, when assisting his disciple Mark to write his Gospel, he would not allow him to relate the history of Christ’s having made him the Shepherd of the whole Flock, whereas, he insisted on his telling every circumstance of his thrice denying Jesus to be his Master. See, too, how feelingly the Apostle here speaks of his Saviour — of the sufferings He endured, of His patience, of His devotedness for those poor straying sheep of whom He was to form His fold! These words will one day be verified in Peter himself. The hour will come when, like his Master, He will be fastened to a cross and patiently endure every insult and cruelty. Jesus told him that it was to be so. After entrusting him with the care of the Sheep and Lambs, our Lord told him that when he should have grown old, he would stretch forth his hands on a cross, and suffer violence from men (John xxi. 18) This is to happen not merely to Peter, but to a considerable number of his successors who are one with himself, and whom future generations are to see continually persecuted, exiled, imprisoned and put to death. Let us, also, follow Jesus’ steps by cheerfully suffering for justice’ sake: we owe it to Him, who, from all eternity, being equal in glory to God the Father, deigned to come down to our earth that He might be the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.
Gospel – John x. 11‒16
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeing the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches and scatters the sheep: and the hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and he has no care for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me; as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one fold and one Shepherd.
Praise be to you, O Christ.
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
Dom Prosper Gueranger:
Divine Shepherd of our souls! How great is your love for your sheep! You give even your life to save them. The fury of wolves does not make you flee from us. You become their prey that we may escape. You died in our stead because you were our Shepherd. We are not surprised at your requiring from Peter a greater love than thou required from his brother Apostles. You willed to make him their and our Shepherd. Peter answered you without hesitation that he loved you, and you conferred on him your own name, together with the reality of your office, in order that he might supply your place after your departure from this world. Be blessed, Divine Shepherd, for your having thus provided for the necessities of your flock which could not be one, were it to have many shepherds without one supreme Shepherd. In obedience to your command, we bow down before Peter with love and submission. We respectfully kiss his sacred feet, for it is by him that we are united to you. It is by him that we are your sheep. Preserve us, O Jesus, in the fold of Peter, which is yours. Keep far from us the hireling who usurps the place and rights of the Shepherd. He has intruded himself, or been intruded by violence, into the fold, and would have us take him as the master, but he knows not the sheep, and the sheep do not know him. Led, not by zeal, but by avarice and ambition, he flies at the approach of danger. He that governs through worldly motives is not a man to lay down his life for others. The schismatic Pastor loves himself. He does not love your sheep. How could he give his life for them Protect us, O Jesus, from this hireling! He would separate us from you by separating us from Peter who you have appointed your Vicar, and we are determined to recognise no other. Anathema to him who would command us in your Name, and yet not be sent by Peter! Such a Pastor could be but an impostor. He would not rest on the Foundation. He would not have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. To follow him would be our ruin. Grant, then, Good Shepherd, Jesus, that we may ever keep close to you, and to Peter, that as he rests on you, we may rest on him and thus we may defy every tempest, for you, dear Lord, have said: “A wise man built his house on a rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock” (Matthew vii. 24, 25).
