How does Jesus embody the title 'The Good Shepherd'?
In John 10, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd who 'lays down his life for the sheep,' contrasting Himself with hirelings who abandon the flock in times of danger. Jesus knows His sheep individually by name, leads them to green pastures of eternal life, and seeks out the lost with boundless patience (Luke 15). By shedding His blood on Calvary, He fulfilled Ezekiel's prophecy that God Himself would shepherd His people, establishing a model of self-sacrificing pastoral charity that all bishops and priests are called to emulate.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 754
- John 10:11-16
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.