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Paul Vadakumpadan, Guwahati says,

SHEPHERDING POLICESTYLE
By Paul Vadakumpadan

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Guwahati, Apr. 24. I have spent much time looking for the word police in the bible. So far I have not found it. You may wonder why I looked for such a word. The reason is simple. I find a lot of policing going on among those who follow the bible or profess to follow it.

Sometimes it is heavy policing, even overbearing. So I thought there would be great emphasis on it in scripture. There was just nothing. Once I was privileged to travel in some Buddhist countries. The sight of monks, in some places also nuns, dressed in flowing robes, is ubiquitous. They, certainly, have their rules and regulations. I believe, like any human organisation, they also have those who follow and those who do not follow such rules. But it was difficult for me to see any type of law enforcement machinery among them. They seemed to be remarkably free of external controls.

While I did not find the word police in scripture, I found another word which satisfied me. And this beautiful word was shepherd. Jesus was most earnest about shepherding; he had no love for policing. In fact, he is called the good shepherd. In the Old Testament, Yahweh was the shepherd of his people. It appears shepherding is a divine prerogative, and policing is a human weakness, even if necessary at times. The good shepherd calls weak human beings to be his fellow shepherds. So they are called pastors, often confused with doctors, engineers, lawyers, technicians, and of course, policemen.

Pastors are to follow the pastoral method. In other words, they are to follow the method of Jesus. This method distinguishes itself from high-handedness that cripples freedom, including the freedom to misuse one`s freedom. After all Jesus did not prevent men close to him from going away. When some did go away, he asked the others, ``Do you also want to go away?`` Keeping people on the right track by force, physical or otherwise, is not the good shepherd`s method. Don Bosco called it the repressive system of education. He found it reprehensible. He warned his followers not to use it. Unfortunately, some of his followers choose to ignore his warning.

At this stage some pastors may be tempted to react, ``In that case, it is better to do nothing; why bother?`` This is the other extreme and is equally unacceptable. Here the shepherd effectively eliminates himself. Such persons need to read and reread Ezekiel 34. Here the sacred writer condemns the ``dumb, lazy, indulgent...shepherd``.

What then is the method of the good shepherd? In what does it consist? It consists in authenticity of life, good example, educative presence, sharing, empowering, influencing, motivating, prompting, accompaniment, animation, instruction, explanation, suggestion, repetition, reminder, persuasion, exhortation, encouragement, invitation, inspiration, edification, What about rewards and punishments? The good shepherd`s method consists essentially in love. Don Bosco would call it loving kindness. Where there is love, there is no need of anything more and there will be nothing less.

Well, this is a tall order. Indeed, it is. That explains why it is easier to be policemen of the flock, or ignore the flock altogether, rather than be shepherds of the flock.

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Paul Vadakumpadan(Guwahati) vvpaulsdb@rediffmail.com

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