"I am the good shepherd . . . I lay down my life for my sheep"
John 10: 11 - 18The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/Bible/readings/042521.cfm
Growing up in Chicago we didn’t exactly see sheep out on people’s lawns grazing peacefully on the green pastures. More often, for a thankfully very short time, we would see those plastic pink flamingos!
Yet, on a trip to Ireland and Scotland I can never forget
the numerous white little dots all over the hillsides who were sheep grazing
contentedly on rich green hills. Here
and there would be kind of shepherds among them. The sheep population is in higher
numbers than the human population on those Isles which are famous for wool sweaters and
jackets. In our readings this Sunday we
hear of sheep and a shepherd. But, it is
meant to be an image far more significant for our lives than some bucolic scene
along a hillside. Gentle, yet strong and matchless among all is the shepherd we
hear of.
So our Sunday readings on this Easter season Sunday
present an image of goodness to us.
Jesus refers to himself as “the good shepherd,” a very familiar
Christian image. I don't think there is
any image more ancient and beloved throughout the Christian world than that of
Jesus as the Good Shepherd. It was favored during the early Christian era, as
depicted on the walls in the catacombs outside Rome and is certainly one of my
favorites as well. There is nothing
fierce, disturbing, threatening or judgmental about this image. This is a
shepherd whose word alone bears authority but it is not spoken with threat but pronounced
with love. But this shepherd is not just a gentle spirit we may see in a
child’s bedroom.
Shepherds were well known to the ancient Jews, they were
a common, though very lowly part of society.
In fact the Kings of Israel were referred to as shepherds and everyone
knew that was an image of leadership.
Yet, their experience of earthly Kings, with the exception of King David
who was himself flawed as we all are, was one of poor leadership. David's son Saul began with the best of
intentions after the example of his own father yet eventually things went sour.
Good leadership demanded these kings led by good example themselves, holding to
the truth, not compromising the law of God given to them, resisting a mix with
other false gods, and truly caring for the people acknowledging God as the one
true King of Israel.
Shepherds were considered low life. They begged when entering
town, they lived outside the city, and they certainly smelled like their
flocks, like the sheep. Not at all what
Pope Francis meant when he coined his famous "smell like your sheep,"
when referring to the ministry of priests.
Yet, sheep were needed for Temple worship and certainly for food so for
Jesus to use a shepherd image was not unusual.
But, as with all he spoke, it was packed with powerful
meaning. "I am the good shepherd. A
good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep . . . I know mine and mine know
me . . . I will lay down my life for the sheep . . .” There is a deeper more
universal tone in that this shepherd, unlike all others, will offer his life.
This is a tone of self-sacrifice, of deep intimacy with those he leads, and an
expression of boundless love for the sheep. In Jesus laying down his life for us on the cross and taking it up again in his resurrection, he has forever bonded divinity and humanity together. This shepherd is focused on care
for the sheep and not only those in his flock but all those who stray away and
those who “do not belong.”
In fact, Jesus repeats five times in the Gospel passage
that he lays down his life for his sheep.
He does so voluntarily of his own will.
Our Lord is a shepherd who cares not about financial profit but about
the lives of every single sheep in the flock - he cares about you and he cares
about me. He will sacrifice his own life
for our sake and he will even care for others:
"I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold
"(Gentiles?).”These also I must lead . . ."
Our first reading from Acts of the Apostles, has Peter
boldly filled with the Holy Spirit, confronting the leaders of the people with
the stark admission that this Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, is now risen
and that a man now healed was done so through his name; his name alone who
alone brings salvation to all. That
Jesus death and resurrection was the act of salvation as divinity and humanity
were forever joined in Christ and therefore as God looks upon humanity, he sees
the self-sacrificing shepherd, the face of his Son. It is a powerful and life changing image for
us all and a challenge to see the same in each other.
But, even more, this Good Shepherd is beyond our limited
understanding of good. We think "good" is something marked by
acceptable behavior, by doing nice things for others, by respecting others
interests and by following the rules. It
often goes back to the time our parents said things such as: "Have you
been good today?” Or when we feel that
good behavior is rewarded and bad behavior is punished.
Even more, Jesus implies that he is the "noble"
shepherd. He lays down his life for the
sheep in the face of fierce danger (the wolf comes). Jesus has resisted the temptation to
compromise and for our sake, in a noble and courageous way, followed his
Father's will to the end. Even the
cross, despite its horror, became a noble throne for the King Shepherd. He is far more than good - He is noble:
honorable, self-sacrificing, moral, decent, kind.
As shepherd he calls each of us to certain integrity as
Christian men and women. We too are to
see this shepherd as a model for our lives and the way in which we should live
them. This shepherd leads us by example
and invites us to trust in his way.
So, we pray in particular this weekend for leaders of our
faith and in particular that more young men and women will hear the call to
service in the Church – to ordained ministry and to consecrated life as women
religious. Yet, the shepherd’s call is
for all of us so do we hear it? What
other voices have been calling to us that may clearly lead us in another way?
We live in a very noisy culture these days and it’s often hard to listen.
Trust this shepherd.
He is the risen Christ, the way, truth and life, the living bread, the
Word of God among us, and the noble shepherd. As he lays down his life for us
we can be assured that if we follow his example, he will lead us ultimately to
life beyond this one - to far greener pastures indeed.
Almighty ever-living God,
lead us to share in the joys of heaven,
so that the humble flock may reach
where the brave Shepherd has gone before.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
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