Will good shepherds run for public office?

The familiar Psalm 23 presents an image of the Lord as compassionate shepherd. He provides for his sheep, leading them to verdant pastures. He guides them lest they wander away from the fold. He protects them with his rod and staff. The rod, a wooden pole with a shaved and pointed end, warded off wolves and wild dogs; the staff, a wooden pole with a curved end, hauled in lamb and sheep into the fold or rescued them that had fallen off a cliff or pit. We thus have an image of a shepherd who is both a caring provider and a fierce defender of his flock.

The psalm ends with the image of the Lord as a Bedouin, a desert nomad whose tent was a sanctuary from enemies, for Bedouins respected the sanctity of each one’s homes. The psalmist envisages himself surrounded by his enemies; nonetheless, the Lord as Bedouin provides him shelter and protection. And although the enemies encamp around him, as long as he remains inside the tent, he is secure and enjoys the feast provided by his host. The psalmist therefore sings that in the company of the Lord, whom he compares to good shepherd and benevolent Bedouin, he is safe and secure, his needs provided for.

In contrast, in the First Reading from the Book of Jeremiah, the Lord lambasts the shepherds “who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture”, who moreover “have not cared for them”. Jeremiah was not simply theorizing or generalizing about bad shepherds. He was referring to concrete, corrupt leaders of his time — King Jehoiakim and King Zedekiah. He also castigated those among the people of Judah who had turned into idolatry. Jeremiah thus warned his people of God’s impending punishment for their corruption and infidelity by being exiled, losing the Promised Land and becoming slaves of another people.

More and more, we are preoccupied with the forthcoming national elections, particularly with the presidentiables, one of whom will succeed Pres. Aquino next year. Our psalm today tells us that the good shepherd provides, guides and protects his sheep.

Providing for the needs of the sheep does not consist in bestowing token benefits, such as the several hundred pesos given in exchange for one’s vote or a cake with which to celebrate one’s birthday or weekly movie passes. Attending to the needs of the sheep refer to job-creation, providing decent housing, health and educational services. The Lord is concerned not only with our spiritual welfare but also about our material well-being. Indeed, the poverty of millions of Filipinos is an affront to God who has provided us with a bountiful earth. Who then are the leaders who will be good shepherds, able to provide the basic needs of our people, whose platforms will spur inclusive growth, and whose programs will allow human flourishment?

Guiding the flock, lest they fall astray, does not only entail leading the sheep toward material development, but toward moral integrity which therefore requires of our leaders moral credibility. Jeremiah lambasted the leaders and the people of Israel for their corruption and idolatry. Who then are the leaders who will inspire in us honesty and hard work, who will punish corruption and criminality, who will create a culture of integrity and meritocracy?

Protecting the sheep at this point in our history entails defending our sovereignty from the incursion of other nations and from global terrorism. Moreover, protecting the sheep also involves, as Pope Francis insists, protecting the earth that provides for us. Where are the men and women of vision who will protect all that is dear to us and evoke all that is best in us?

Naturally, all those seeking public office will claim to be good shepherds who will provide for, guide and protect our people. We pray, therefore, Lord, for discerning hearts and minds to distinguish the true shepherd who will serve the needs of his or her flock from the false shepherds who will use them to serve his or her needs. We, pray, too, Lord, that men and women of integrity and competency take up the challenge to run for public office in order to serve and uplift our people who are desperately seeking good shepherds.