Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Eugene Docoy SVD – University of San Carlos, Cebu City
Monday 4th Week of Easter
Emotional intelligence, the source of caring and empathy, has been proven to be a critical success factor in leadership and organization. It is more than twice predictive of performance than IQ.
Shepherding or being a leader of a flock has a lot to do with emotional intelligence since it involves closeness to people under one’s care.
Today’s gospel talks about voice recognition, entering the right gate, calling the sheep by name and leading the sheep out of the gate with care. These behaviors are very well linked with intimacy, kindness, compassion, connectedness and sense of responsibility. Christ wants us to be a kind of shepherd with these characteristics.
Intelligent shepherds articulate well the teachings of the Church. Shepherds with special social skills generate dynamism within the Church. Shepherds with unblemished character pull the faithful together. But shepherds with a heart bring the people in close communion with the Savior.
Christ’s brand of shepherding is one of compassion, understanding, kindness and sacrifice. We are intimately related with the Lord because he brought himself very close to humanity. Coming to be one of us, except sin, he lived with us and died for our salvation – the ultimate act of the Shepherd’s self-giving.
In a world full of hatred and deceit, this is the kind of shepherd we need, the shepherd that knows the feelings of others, the shepherd that understands the predicaments and struggles of a simple man, or the shepherd that has a genuine heart to journey with those who have less in life.
Our calling as Christians is to become leaders or shepherds with a heart that knows our flock. Like Christ, we are called to be loving and willing to give up much of ourselves for others.
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