Good Shepherd

The good Shepherd gives life by offering himself as the bread of Life.

“Pa” (Spanish) is the root of “bread” as it is also the root of the Latin verb “pascere” (to pasture)).

This offers the opportunity to reflect on the topic of the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep, the Good Shepherd with a humble, gentle, merciful heart. The Good Shepherd who “tends” his sheep giving Himself: giving Himself as Bread and as Wine. There is a popular expression: “good as bread” with which someone is defined as particularly “tender” of heart, good in feelings, delicate in saying and doing. One to whom we can say everything, for good he is and good he remains; almost one to whom we can “do” everything, because the goodness of his heart is not affected. 

This example of popular wisdom has coined an expression of great value, indeed an expression that “values the value” of bread, elevates it to the dignity of the best “good food”. The expression does not simply say “tender” or “feeding’ but “good” like bread.

The meaning/root of the word “good” is very interesting. According to some scholars it refers to “beo”: to make happy, while for other scholars it is linked to “rich” and “splendor”; for others to “virtuous” and “to purify”.

God is “good” like bread. God is the only one who makes us happy, He is the only one “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), He is the Pure One who purifies us. God has such a tender heart, so full of compassion to have made himself “Eucharistic Heart of bread” so that whoever feeds on Him may have eternal life.

Christ, the Son of God made flesh is 

the good Shepherd who “feeds”, 

 nourishes his sheep, giving himself.

The Shepherd’s goodness is proved with the gift of self so that the sheep entrusted to him may live and have life in abundance, and because he knows his sheep.

Sunday of the Good Shepherd

26 April 2026