I wonder how many of us appreciate art, or that some of us are artists in the general sense of the word.
Art, or drawings, are very different from photographs.
Photographs capture the snap-shot moment of a reality.
So there are snap-shot moments of people being baptized, or a bridegroom kissing a bride on their wedding day, or children gathered around their mother to celebrate Mother’s Day, which was just last week.
Yes, photographs capture those snap-shot moments of life.
But art and drawings capture a different aspect of reality.
So if I want to have a picture of your faces as I preach, I can take it with a camera.
Or if I have some artistic talent, then I can draw the expressions of your faces according to how I perceive it.
But what I will draw may not be the same as the photograph that I have taken with the camera.
Surely I will draw a much nicer picture isn’t it. Certainly those faces that look like as if the sun is setting in their eyes, I will draw them with faces like the rising sun and look fully alive.
Those faces with a blank look, I will draw them like as if they are laughing all the way to the bank.
So photographs show the snap-shot moment of reality, but art and drawings will give the aspect of imaginary.
So maybe let us now imagine Jesus, and we imagine Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
What kind of picture is forming up in our minds?
Probably a neat and tidy Jesus in His long flowing robes, with His long hair nicely combed, carrying a lamb in His arms, with other sheep grazing in the meadows.
A nice, serene, tranquil imagery of Jesus the Good Shepherd and His sheep. All is calm and peaceful.
That is the picture that most religious art pieces will portray.
But what is the reality? Well, I have yet to see any photographs of a shepherd and his sheep that looked similar to what is portrayed in religious art.
One thing for certain is that there is a close and intimate relationship between the shepherd and his sheep.
Because out there in the country side and away from the city, the shepherd has only his sheep for company.
Hence, for the shepherd, the sheep are his priority, and in many ways, the sheep are also a cause of his anxiety.
Unlike what we see in religious art, not all is peaceful and calm.
Out there in the country side and in the open fields, there is danger lurking somewhere.
The gospel which we have just heard mentioned about thieves and brigands, with the devious motives of stealing, killing and destroying.
So if the shepherd cares enough for his sheep, he must be prepared to bleed, yes, bleed for his sheep.
Religious art seldom portray the Good Shepherd with bleeding wounds, or lying on the ground with a mortal wound.
But the reality is that the Good Shepherd suffered wounds, and was eventually nailed to the cross to die.
Today is also Vocation Sunday, and the emphasis is on the call to the priesthood and to serve as shepherds of the people of God.
For this Vocation Sunday, the diocese has printed a brochure, and it’s about “All you wanted to ask about the Diocesan Priesthood but were afraid to ask”.
In this brochure are 14 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with corresponding answers, and also some nice photographs about life in the Major Seminary.
But one question that is not asked is this: As a priest, will I have to bleed for the sheep, just like the Good Shepherd?
Well, bleed … yes! But maybe in another way.
I came across this poem of sort, and the title is: No one wants to be a priest!
It goes like this: No one wants to be a priest because …
If he begins Mass on time, his watch is fast;
If he begins a minute later, he keeps people waiting.
If he preaches too long, he makes people get bored;
If his homily is too short, he is unprepared.
If his voice is strong when preaching, he is shouting;
If his voice is normal,
people do not understand what he is preaching about;
If he goes to visit families, he is always out:
If he does not, he does not care for them.
If he asks for donations, he is a money-face;
If he does not do it, he is too proud and lazy.
If he takes time in the confessional, he is too slow;
If he makes it too fast, he has no time for his penitents.
If he renovates the church, he throws away money;
If he does not do it, he allows everything to rot away.
If he is with the youth, he forgets the old.
If he warms up to old women, he must be missing his mummy.
If he keeps distance from all of them, he has a heart of stone.
If he is young, he has no experience;
If he is old, he should retire.
As long as he lives, there are always people who are better than him;
BUT IF THE PRIEST DIES....THERE IS NOBODY TO TAKE HIS PLACE!
Because no one wants to be a priest!!!
So in many small n little ways, the priest is called to follow the Good Shepherd and to bleed for the sheep.
But just as the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep, the priest bleeds for his flock so that his sheep can have life and life to the full.
So what is the priest called to do, or what is he called to be like, so that his sheep can have that fullness of life?
The 2nd reading gives a very profound and challenging direction in the understanding of the call to the priesthood.
It is not actually about the priesthood, but rather it is about the Good Shepherd. But it is a good direction for priests. It goes like this :
This is what you are called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way He took.
He has not done anything wrong, and there was no perjury in his mouth.
He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults;
When he was tortured, he made no threats, but he put his trust in the righteous judge.
He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness.
Through his wounds, you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:20-25)
Yes, by the wounds of the Good Shepherd, we are healed and given life.
Personally, I know that my life and my call to the priesthood has to be lived out in the way of the life of the Good Shepherd.
It is only when we priests live out the way of the life of the Good Shepherd that we can lead the flock to green pastures and feed the sheep.
So my dear people of God, pray for us priests, pray for vocations to the priesthood.
We have a critical situation. This is certainly not just imaginary, and it is more than just the reality.
This is an urgency. And it's more like an emergency.
We must pray for priests and for vocations to the priesthood.
Otherwise we will all go astray. And thieves and brigands will just come to steal, kill and destroy.