The Good Shepherd is an archetypal model for the priest. The great Pope John Paul II in his writing on Pastores Dabo Vobis (PDV) in the late 20th century about priestly formation in our present-day points out that:
“Indeed, the priest, by virtue of the consecration which he receives in the sacrament of orders, is sent forth by the Father through the mediatorship of Jesus Christ, to whom he is configured in a special way as head and shepherd of his people, in order to live and work by the power of the Holy Spirit in service of the Church and for the salvation of the world”
This affirmation shows a genuine and deep understanding of the specific ontological link which draws the priesthood to Christ the good shepherd and the great high priest. Such statement shows that, the Church is certain in her teaching that Christ the ‘Good Shepherd’ is a true ideal model for the priest. But, to what extent can we express this certainty of the good shepherd as a paradigm or as a model par excellence in the priestly formation?
One must not forget that, the essential characteristic of Jesus Christ as the good Shepherd is precisely being there for others. That in turn expresses his whole life in tendering and nurturing his sheep (the well-being and the growth of his disciples). Specifically, his life was above all a complete service, a true dedication and a genuine relationship with his sheep.
It is important to comment on the ontological bond between a priest and Christ the good shepherd by reflecting on his identity as a royal priesthood and his Christological nature, especially when we perceive the salvific works accomplished by him. Christ has in so many ways expressed himself. As; the Messiah, the Holy Lord, the logos (word), the suffering servant, the holy one, the son of God, the son of Man, son of Mary, son of David, Saviour, Emmanuel, the great high priest and the Good shepherd. It is through his ministerial work as a good shepherd the church holds its teaching that, the good shepherd is the symbol that unites the priesthood which is given in the sacrament. It also reveals the pastoral charity which expresses the true image and love of the priesthood of Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains sacrament as “... An outward sign of inward grace” In other words, the holy order is an outward symbol of an interior grace given by Christ himself. The sacrament of Holy Orders therefore, gives the man (the priest) an act to perpetuate the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ in pastoral charity. This is so, because Christ uncovered in himself a complete and a true image of the priesthood and of the mediatorship between God and man (the New Covenant). By doing so, Christ offered himself for the sins of all people through his passion, death and resurrection. Through the role of his mediatorship he emptied himself to die on the cross of Calvary- a death he freely accepted. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he pointed out that Jesus Christ “Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross”
This expression of Christ perfect humility shows that he is the shepherd who was to come “not to be served but to serve” .One might ask how is this necessary to forming of priests in the Catholic Church. Pastores Dabo Vobis pointed out that “with the one definitive sacrifice of the cross, Jesus communicated to all his disciples the dignity and mission of priest of the new and eternal covenant“
This shows why the church strongly believes to have the true image and authority of Jesus Christ through Peter his apostle. The priest himself is shaped to become a good shepherd in the person of Christ (Persona Christi). It is through this he (the priest) is encouraged by the church to have a lifelong commitments to celibacy in chastity and obedient to his Bishop.
The aim of this practical priestly life is to unite the priest himself with the pastoral charity of Jesus Christ who holds up for us the true image of the good shepherd. This view is clearly expressed in Pastores Dabo Vobis that “the whole formation imparted to candidates for priesthood aims at preparing them to enter into communion with the charity of Christ the good Shepherd”, provide the candidate has a pastoral heart.
I want to share by reflecting on what it means to be configured in the person of Christ the good shepherd. Every priest represents Christ in his little ways - by taking the place of Christ, he is shaped and formed to become like him the good shepherd. The gospel of St John also gives a good insight of what it means to be a good shepherd. John quoted Jesus exact word on his writing by saying “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” . Here, Jesus stated clearly that he is the good shepherd, he knows his sheep and his sheep know him and they do recognize his voice. He (Jesus) has called priests to feed his sheep, to protect and promote life, to be caring, to be relational and to be compassionate like him. All these good work being perform by the priest is a freely and willingly services as God desires.
From reading St John chapter 10, we ask what reverence and significance or what pedagogy has the image of the good shepherd for the priest? Pastores Dabo Vobis sees this image of the good shepherd as an archetypal model for the exercise of the ministry and spiritual life of the priest. It is “archetypal model” because the image includes all that is to be found in Jesus’ self-offering, self-giving of life, his pastoral heart for the people he met and for the world (Kenosis-Phil 2:7)
In this way the priest, as one who ministers to the faithful (the community of God’s people), will be in his person but at the same time in the model of Christ to share the holy sacraments. In baptism he invites people to become God’s children, in holy Eucharist he shares among God’s people the body, death, resurrection and coming in glory of our lord Jesus Christ. In the sacrament of Penance the priest continues to perpetuate the art of forgiveness which has been passed on from Christ to his apostles and from the apostles to the priests.
By doing so, the work and mission of Christ continues to be effective through the priests and “by the virtue of consecration, priests are configured to Jesus the good shepherd and called to imitate and to live out their own pastoral charity”. The aim of this pastoral charity is the total gift of oneself to the church by following the footsteps of Christ. It not only shows what priests do but also expresses the gift of self to manifest the love of Christ in their priestly lives. Pastoral charity therefore, is the engine room by which priests are used as an instrument of God to express how the church thinks, acts, relate to the world and to spread the good news to the ends of the earth. This pastoral charity continues to manifest itself in the lives of priests and also deepens their hearts in pastoral ministry to the sacramental of God’s presence to his people.
Thus in conclusion, the image of the good shepherd is fully adequate to express and reveals the gift of his priesthood in his tenderness in leading the flock to salvation. The ‘shepherd’ is sacramental for it contains the healing, forgiveness of sin, fullness of life (Christian maturity), spiritual food and pastoral care.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Works Cited
Pope John Paul II. Pastores Dabo Vobis. 2nd ed. Catholic Truth Society, 2005. Print.

The New Jerusalem Bible. The standard ed. Catholic publication, 1985. Print.