Pope urges Christians to avoid “stink” of herd mentality

God does not know culture of waste, for Jesus the Good Shepherd, "there is no such thing as sheep lost forever”, but only sheep that have yet to be found. "The only way to gather the flock together is to follow the path outlined by the mercy of the shepherd. While searching for the lost sheep, he calls on the ninety-nine to reunite the flock".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - God knows nothing of the culture of waste, for Jesus the Good Shepherd, "there is no such thing as sheep lost forever”, but only sheep that have yet to be found in an open perspective, of “moving outwards” from the fold, because " as Christians we should not close in on ourselves, otherwise we will stink of closed things".

This was how Pope Francis reflected on the parable of the Good Shepherd during today’s General Audience.  The parable “is the concern of Jesus toward sinners and the mercy of God that is not resigned to losing even one”, he said to the 30 thousand people present in St Peter's Square.  The Pope said the parable "is told by Jesus to make people understand that his proximity to sinners is not a cause for scandal, rather the result of a serious reflection on how we live our faith. The story sees on one side the sinners who draw near to Jesus to listen and on the other side the doctors of law and scribes who are suspicious and draw away from him because of his attitude. They draw away because Jesus approached sinners. These were proud, they were vainglorious, they believed they were right”.

"Our parable - he stressed - is themed around three characters: the shepherd, the lost sheep and the rest of the flock. But the only one who acts is the shepherd, not the sheep. The pastor then is the only true protagonist and everything depends on him. The parable introduces a question: "Which of you, having a hundred sheep and loses one, would leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one lost sheep until he finds it?" (V. 4). It is a paradox that casts doubt on the pastor’s actions: it is wise to leave the ninety-nine sheep for just one? And most importantly not safe in a sheepfold, but in the desert? According to biblical tradition, the desert is a place of death where it is difficult to find food and water, without shelter and at the mercy of wild beasts and thieves. What can ninety-nine defenseless sheep do? The paradox continues, however, saying that the shepherd, found the sheep, " puts it on his shoulders  and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep" (v. 6). It therefore seems that the pastor does not return to the desert to rescue the flock! Straining toward that single sheep he seems to forget the other ninety-nine. But in reality it is not so. The teaching that Jesus wants to give us is rather that no sheep can be lost. The Lord cannot resign Himself to the fact that even one person be lost. God’s action is to go in search of lost children and then to celebrate and rejoice their recovery. It is a burning desire: even ninety-nine sheep cannot stop the shepherd and keep him closed within the fold. He might reason: 'Well, if I take stock I have ninety-nine, I lost one of them, but it is not a great loss'. No, he goes to look for that one, because each of them is very important to him and that one is the one most in need, the most abandoned, the most rejected; and he goes there looking for the lost sheep".

"We are all warned: mercy toward sinners is the style with which God acts and He is absolutely true to that mercy: No one and nothing can distract Him from His salvific will. God knows nothing of our contemporary culture of waste, God is not involved in this. God does not discard anybody; God loves everyone, He looks for everyone ...Everyone! One by one. He does not know the word 'discard people', because He is all love and all mercy”.

"The Lord’s flock is always on a journey: It does not possess the Lord, it cannot hope to imprison Him in our plans and in our strategies. The pastor will be found there where the sheep is lost. The Lord then should be sought wherever He wants to encounter us, not where we want to find Him! The only way to re-unite the flock is to follow the path outlined by the mercy of the shepherd. While searching for the lost sheep, he calls on the ninety-nine to reunite the flock. Then not only the sheep carried on his shoulders, but the whole flock will follow the shepherd to his home to celebrate with friends and neighbors. We should often think of this parable, because in the Christian community there is always someone who is missing and has left an empty place. Sometimes this is daunting and leads us to believe that it is an inevitable loss, an incurable disease. It is then that we run the risk of locking ourselves up in our sheepfold, where there will be no smell of sheep, but the stale stink of closure!. And we Christians must not be closed in our herd because we will too will stink of closed things. Never! We have to go out and this close in themselves, in small communities, in the parish, there ... 'But we, the righteous' ... This happens when there is no missionary impulse that leads us to encounter others. In Jesus’ vision there is no such thing as a sheep that is lost forever, understand this well: for God no one is lost forever. Never! Until the last moment, God seeks us out. Think of the good thief;  in the vision of Jesus no one is lost forever, just sheep waiting to be found ".

"The prospect, therefore - he concluded – must be dynamic, open, stimulating and creative. He urges us to go out in search, to embark on a path of brotherhood. No distance can keep the shepherd away; and no flock can give up on a brother. Finding those who are lost is a joy for the shepherd and God, but also the joy of the whole flock! We are all of us sheep who have been found and gathered by the Lord's mercy, called to gather all the flock together with Him".

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