杏MAP导航

By Sr. Francine-Marie Cooper

鈥淚 am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (Jn 10:11)

In his third sermon for Lent 2024, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the Preacher of the Papal Household, meditated on these words of Jesus from John鈥檚 Gospel.

Cardinal Cantalamessa explained the context of this passage about the Good Shepherd. It is the discussion with 鈥渢he Jews鈥� which takes place on the occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The shepherd in biblical history

We must understand how shepherds were perceived in Jesus鈥� time, the Cardinal said.

鈥淚n the beginning Israel was a people of nomadic shepherds.鈥�

This society did not look upon the sheep solely as a means of income, he said. The shepherds spent day after day alone with the sheep.

They built up a personal relationship with them. 鈥淭his explains why,鈥� Cardinal Cantalamessa added, 鈥渢o express His relationship with humanity, God used this image, which has now become ambiguous.鈥�

Kings and priests and leaders in general were later referred to as shepherds.

As these did not always tend well to their people, the image of the bad shepherd made its appearance alongside that of the good shepherd.

In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God promises to take care of His flock: 鈥淭he lost I will search out, the strays I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, and the sick I will heal.鈥�

Shepherd and sheep

The Cardinal explained how every shepherd is also a sheep of the great shepherd.

鈥淭he pastor of the Church is also a 鈥榳ounded healer,鈥� a sick person who must help others to be healed.鈥�

Cardinal Cantalamessa went on to define the 鈥渕ain disease鈥� for which we need treatment: Fear.

鈥淧sychology and psychoanalysis try to heal people鈥檚 fears and neuroses by analyzing them and bringing them from the unconscious to the conscious,鈥� he noted. 鈥淭he Gospel adds something that science cannot give.鈥�

Cardinal Cantalamessa called Christ the 鈥渟olvent鈥� of all fear who has said to His disciples: 鈥�Do not be afraid, I have overcome the world.鈥�

Only God can save us in this violent and mad world that we live in, he said.

Laying down His life for the sheep

The Cardinal pointed out, 鈥淣ever before had it been said in the Bible that the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.鈥�

This is the most consoling thing Jesus could say to His disciples, since 鈥淛esus promised to do it and He did!鈥�

By taking our fears upon Himself, Cardinal Cantalamessa said, 鈥淛esus also redeemed our fears and anxieties. 鈥楤y His wounds, we were healed,鈥� the Scripture says of Him.鈥�

And added the Cardinal, 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 just give us the example of how to overcome anguish; He gave us the means to overcome it: His presence and His grace.鈥�

Cardinal Cantalamessa spoke finally of the martyrs who have made this belief a tangible experience.

They welcomed martyrdom without fear and trusting that Jesus was with them.

Wounded healers

Although it may not always be within our power to free ourselves of fear and anguish, the Cardinal said, it may be in our power to free someone else.

鈥淲hether pastors or simple believers, we must be wounded healers, who, nevertheless, can heal others.鈥�