Life as a Sheep

Elpidio Pezzella
1 day ago
3 min read

“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

John 10:4-5 NKJV

This is not the first time that listeners have failed to grasp the meaning of the Master's words, forcing him to repeat them in detail. And so Jesus first attributes to himself the title of “gate of the sheepfold” and then “good shepherd.” Every time I dwell on this passage from John, my mind jumps to the not-too-distant past, bringing back memories of a series of cartoons that occupied several afternoons when my youngest son was still a toddler. This cartoon, which was anything but trivial, offered interesting details, as well as being beautiful to watch, for someone called to pastoral care like me. Surely anyone with children will have come across at least once “Shaun the Sheep,” a series that recounts the adventures of a flock and farmyard animals on a small farm. Here, in the English countryside, the farmer has a sheepdog named Bitzer, who is supposed to keep order in his absence but instead ends up getting involved in the adventures devised by the sheep Shaun. It is these characters that inspire reflections that I hope will be of interest to you.

This rural scene could represent any church today, where the leader/farmer, in his quiet solitude, is satisfied with his management, but so short-sighted that he does not notice the unusual and out-of-the-ordinary behavior of his catechumens/animals. Certainly, it does no credit to any minister of the Gospel to be likened to the English farmer, but short-sightedness is a fairly common defect. Just as there is no one more deaf than those who do not want to hear, there is no one more blind than those who do not want to see. In fact, the farmer has no awareness of what is happening in his house, with or without him, just like the mercenaries mentioned by Jesus. The one who cheers up the group and livens up the ‘shack’ is Shaun, an unusual sheep. Unlike the other sheep, who are only interested in grazing, she thinks. That is why she does not follow the flock, but stands out from the herd and even manages to influence their behavior. His initiatives are not always successful, and sometimes he ends up getting into trouble because of his curiosity and resourcefulness. However, he always comes out on top thanks to his intelligence and stubbornness, which are not at all sheep-like.

Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd, believers have always been likened to a flock. In New Testament language, the believer is a sheep that was lost but has been found, recovered, and brought back to the Lord's fold. The flock thus has a spiritual dimension in the church. In fact, every local community under the direction and responsibility of the pastor is a reflection of the farm. Shaun the sheep is comparable to that believer who, without official titles or positions, works for the good of the “farm” without the knowledge of the person in charge, never seeking personal glory. In fact, beyond the imagination that distinguishes him, Shaun has the farmer's interests at heart: he never rebels or contradicts him; he remains in the sheepfold and is a member of the farm. Furthermore, if necessary, he does not hesitate to replace Bitzer in defending the flock. Bitzer, armed with a cap, whistle, and thermos of tea, fails in any way to appear authoritative; on the contrary, he is tolerant and friendly towards the animals. The exercise of authority is much more than a title or a label; a cap and whistle are not enough; it takes “charisma.”

Other unique characters populate the series: the Cat and the Pigs. The former wants all the farmer's attention and therefore antagonizes everyone else. The latter live close to the sheep's field and their main occupation is to create disorder and disturb the sheep. How familiar this is to the ecclesial environment. I can imagine the Shauns gloating over this writing, while the Bitzers grind their teeth and the Farmers remain unknowingly satisfied. Despite the limitations of some, Shaun tells me that life as a sheep can be exciting and engaging: you just have to be yourself without leaving the pen, because “the sheep follow him because they know his voice.”