We remember Jesus today as the Good Shepherd. It is one of the most enduring images of our Lord. At the same time, however, it is one of the more difficult.

If Jesus is the Shepherd, then we are the sheep. It is hard to be a sheep, to follow, to make His thoughts, my thoughts; His love, my love; His priorities, my priorities; His submissiveness, my submissiveness. Jesus' way is so different from ours. God's way is so far above our ways (cf. Is. 55:8-9).

The Lord speaks very powerfully in the Old Testament about being our Shepherd. "Thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; ... I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God" (Ezekiel 34:11-15).

The Father has sent us His only Son to be our Good Shepherd. Jesus in His wisdom passes on the role of shepherd to Peter. He is now the representative of Jesus on earth. Father Fernandez writes on Jesus words to Peter - feed my lambs, feed my sheep - explain Peter's mission as one of guarding Our Lord's whole flock without limitations. Feed is equivalent to 'direct and govern'. Peter is made the shepherd and guide for the whole Church. As the Second Vatican Council points out, Jesus Christ put Peter at the head of the others Apostles, and in turn he set up a lasting and visible source and foundation of the unity of both faith and communion (Lumen Gentium, 18).

We owe a true obedience of heart and mind to our Holy Father, not because he is a good man, not because he is charismatic, not because he is holy, but because he has been placed over us by God. It is God Who set up the structure of the Church.

We have been blest by so many Popes who have stood their ground in defending truth. Yes, we have had some men who have brought dishonor on the office. Jesus did not promise us that every leader would be holy, but only that He would be with us and protect us from teaching error.

Just in the past century we see how the Holy Father has taken the lead in many things; the right of workers and just wages (Leo XIII); Pius X's defense against Christological errors, such as, Jesus did not always have the consciousness of His messianic dignity; Pius XI's and Paul VI's defense of marriage and condemnation of artificial birth control; John Paul II's defense of the family, condemnation of the death penalty; etc. are all examples [there are many more] of how Jesus is leading His Church throughout history.

Let us give thanks today for the Good Shepherd and the shepherds He has given us to guide us to our heavenly home. They are one of Jesus' gifts to you and me. Let us treasure all these gifts Jesus presents to us.