The title “Good Shepherd” was one of the few that Jesus attributed to himself (cf. Jn 10:11). In fact, He spent His earthly journey “doing good” (Acts 10:38), until He immolated himself for His sheep.
But if Our Lord was so loving, gentle and humble, why did He use a whip to drive money-changers out of the temple? Why did He so often vituperate the Pharisees, priests and elders? Finally, why did He harshly reproach Peter, calling him “Satan”? For a simple reason: because incarnate Goodness was also Truth (cf. Jn 14:6). Therefore, pain who it may, for the triumph of good and truth, the Redeemer did not spare the whip, be it one made of cords or words…
Nevertheless, there were times when, in the face of iniquity, Christ chose to remain silent, as at Pilate’s imposture. In extreme situations, He simply shed tears: when contemplating Jerusalem which rejected Him, or in Gethsemane when lamenting the infidelity of His disciples.
This February marks the four hundredth anniversary of the diocesan approval of the revelations of Our Lady of Good Success to Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres in Quito (Ecuador). This message foretold a time when the “filthy sea” of impurity would sweep through the streets, childhood innocence would practically disappear and priests would lose their “divine compass”; however, a small flock would keep the faith. This apparent diagnosis of our days invites us to ask: what would Jesus’ reaction be today? Would He use the whip or weep? Or both?
The Saints are like rays emanating from the Sun of Justice; let us turn to them for enlightenment. St. Catherine of Siena, who implored God for the gift of tears, even if they be tears of fire, did not hesitate, at Jesus’ own request, to admonish Pope Urban VI to undertake ecclesiastical reform, using the whip of the word: “Be entirely virile!” Padre Pio, observing the iniquity of some priests and their neglect towards the Flesh of Christ, also wept and fulminated them: “butchers!” Finally, Our Lady in La Salette, in tears when She appeared, sternly expressed Her displeasure with the unfaithful clergy, calling them “cesspools”.
In this month of the Chair of Peter, Jesus could well ask each member of the faithful, but especially the shepherds, “Do you love Me?” An affirmative answer is to be desired, but above all a sincere one. Peter sank precisely because he trusted in his own strength to walk on the water! And woe to the shepherds who feed themselves! (cf. Ez 34:2). Worse still, woe to him who, like a “new Judas”, hands over God’s temple to the devil, selling the sheep and protecting the wolves, as Blessed Francisco Palau foretold.
For in these times when the weeds seem to have infested the wheat completely, we must trust as Mary did in the resurrection. This is the true “good success”: the victory of good against all appearances.
The evangelists portray Jesus with a whip in hand, with tears running down His cheeks and even mixing saliva with clay to heal, but they never describe Him smiling. Why? Because He has reserved His smile for the end, when evil will be chained forever, and the Church will shine with all the glory she deserves: all fair, powerful and pure. ◊
