The Sunday Sermons of St. Bonaventure

Sermon 23: Second Sunday after Easter

The Sunday SermonS of ST. BonavenTure 278 sermon 23: seCond sunday afTer easTer [Sermon] 1. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. John 10:11. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the shepherd of the triumphant and militant Church, like any good shepherd, when the lamb of humanity was missing, placed the angelic flock in the desert of divine pleasure, put on the vestment of human flesh and visibly sought after the long lost lamb, which he found in the mouth of demons. In order to liberate it from their jaws, he exposed his own body to death, so that having found and liberated it, he might lead it back to the sheepfold in the celestial homeland and placed it with the angelic herd in the quiet of glory. But since it is proper for the good shepherd to have toward his herd, first vigilant solicitude in guarding, then benevolent affection in sustaining or nurturing, and later prudent discretion in expending what is necessary for the sheep proper; the proposed words, therefore, show us the good shepherd, Christ, who is marvelous and commendable according to the three previously mentioned conditions. First, he is commended for solicitous vigilance in the performance of the pastoral office; second, for benevolent breadth in the exposure of his own body; third, for prudent discretion in the liberation of his own herd, and not others. First, the good shepherd, Christ, is commended for solicitous vigilance in the performance of the pastoral office, when it says: Good shepherd; for the goodness of the shepherd is displayed, when he keeps vigil and guards his flock. Second, he is commended for benevolent breadth in the exposure of his own body, when it adds: he lays down his eaSTer 279 life; for there is no greater sign of love and benevolence that a shepherd can show his flock than to expose his own body to death for its defense and liberation. Third, he is commended for prudent discretion in the defense and liberation of his flock, not that of another, when it adds: for his sheep, through the conformity of imitation; not that of another, through the infidelity of error. 2. It says, therefore: Good shepherd, where he is commended for the diligent performance of the pastoral office . Indeed this pastor, who diligently performs his office according to the manifest factual evidence, first instructs and domesticates his animals with external words; second , he nourishes and sustains with bodily assistance; third, he defends with the aid of forceful protection. In this manner, the good shepherd of the Church, Christ, first instructs the human flock with the teaching of salvific instruction; second, nourishes it with the assistance of sacramental refreshment; third, defends it with the aid of forceful protection. Moreover through the first the intellective power is illuminated, through the second the affective power is sweetened and quieted, through the third the effective power is strengthened. 3. First, Christ the shepherd teaches with the useful instruction of salvific preaching to illuminate the intellect . Sirach 18:13 says: He who has mercy, teaches and instructs as a shepherd with his flock. Since the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ must totally concern the benignity of mercy and the charity of benevolence, it is consequently easy to understand, and brief and useful to accomplish. Whence our Lord Jesus Christ, due to the exceeding sweetness of the highest mercy and the charity of benevolence that he has toward his flock, teaches it with the words of doctrine and instructs it with the example of life; and this, because to teach in word alone The Sunday SermonS of ST. BonavenTure 280 is vain, to instruct only by example is little, but one way with the other is perfect.414 The doctrine of this shepherd must be impressed on the hearts of prelates as a seal is impressed in wax, so afterward with word and example, they might transcribe it on the hearts of their subjects. Whence Jeremiah 3:15 says of the good shepherd: I will give you shepherds according to my own heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and doctrine. Now prelates preside according to the good pleasure of the divine will when they nourish their flock with knowledge regarding the word, and with doctrine regarding the example because examples of work move more than words. Whence Gregory in the Pastoral Office: “Let the leader...