Lordship of Christ, the Good Shepherd

Jesus Christ was sent to the Jewish people, to be their Messiah in accordance with God’s ancient promises to his Chosen People. Yet, God was not satisfied to save only one people; he wants his blessing to reach all nations, every corner of the earth. This is why Jesus says, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold; these also I must lead.” 

Christ the Savior, then, has received lordship not only over the little flock of Israel and Judah, but over all the flocks of the earth. In him we all come under one lordship, that of the good shepherd, who is the one pastor of the one flock. The effect of the wolf, the devil, is to catch and scatter the sheep; Christ frees and unites us. And even if the wolf attacks the shepherd himself, as he did in Christ’s passion, the shepherd has the power both to lay down and raise up his life, so the one flock will never perish. 

Because Christ the good shepherd is our Lord, the Church, the one flock, will never fail. Our membership in this flock is perhaps the greatest gift we have received from the Lord after the gift of life itself. This is one of the most compelling reasons behind the Church’s missionary mandate.

We are all called to spread the good news of Christ, and to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), bringing everyone into this one flock. Only the Catholic Church has been given the divine guarantee that it will never fail, never be permanently scattered and destroyed by wolves. Other churches and other religions may have sincere believers and parts of the truth, but only Christ’s one flock, gathered around his visible shepherd’s staff - the pope, is guaranteed never to fail.

--Deacon Mr. Reverend Joseph Pasquella