John 10: 1-10
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/043023.cfm
Almighty ever-living God,
lead us to a 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, God, for ever and ever.
(Collect of Mass)
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Our readings this Sunday of Easter are often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday. They give us the assurance of
faith that no matter how confused life may seem at times, we have one in which
to ultimately trust that his intent is always for our good. Jesus our Shepherd
cares for his flock and if we follow his voice we will never go astray. If the
definition of love is to will the good of another, then this shepherd and his
will towards us is one of pure love.
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 of 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
spoken with love. However, Jesus' image of shepherds is more than just a sentimental
comfort. We need to understand this on a
broad scale.
Those who were “shepherds,”
of Israel as religious leaders and Kings were painfully weak and
compromising. Their leadership was at
times scandalous for they did not lead the people according to God’s Law. King Zedekiah, the last King of Israel, was
forced into position as a series of previous King’s had made bad decisions both
spiritually and politically. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Babylonian’s
during his reign.
The Kings of Israel were
referred to as shepherds and everyone knew that was an image of
leadership. Their experience of earthly
Kings, with the exception of King David who was himself flawed as we all are,
was one of very 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 lead 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. They did not lead the people
to remain faithful to the Covenant given through Moses but rather led them
astray by mixing with surrounding pagan cultures and seeking wealth and power
over service. Overall, they were not good but rather failed and bad
shepherds.
Comparing himself to these
shepherds of earlier Jewish experience, Jesus contrasts himself in the Gospel
with these bad shepherds: “All who came before me are thieves and robbers . . .
“Our Lord is a shepherd who cares not about financial profit or worldly power
and fame 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, and has done so on the cross, 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 . .
."
As Peter in our first readings
from Acts proclaims to the crowds who eagerly desired to be baptized and
forgiven of sin: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins . . .” The result was phenomenal as three
thousand were baptized that day through the power of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s
persuasiveness.
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 the “gate” of the
sheepfold, we enter and leave through Christ alone for he will our good out of
love and sacrifice.
This is a God who has come
to make himself approachable; a God who takes away fear and replaces it with
love - a love beyond our expectation or certainly beyond what we deserve or are
worthy of. So it certainly emphasizes, by his word alone, that this shepherd is
one of trust and one we can courageously follow without fear.
Most importantly, is isn’t
just faith in Jesus that we need as if all was possible through our own
power. The point is that little is
possible compared to what Christ brings us in the Church. The sheep are us in the community of the Church
where Christ leads us and is present to us in our sacramental life, the power
of his Word, the leaders of the Church (granted some have not been the best
examples) but many have been indeed. It
is only in the Body of Christ that we come to know the Lord Jesus and
experience the support of his grace.
The Eucharist in particular,
when we gather as the flock, is that moment when the shepherd becomes present
to speak to us and to feed us, with himself.
Here we find safety and the deposit of truth lest we go astray as
wandering sheep. Our life in Christ that we share as his beloved sons and
daughters supports us and directs in the way God has shown. Do we hear his voice in the Church or have we
deafened ourselves through sin or self-centered choices.
So, this Sunday we take hope
in this beautiful image of Jesus our Good Shepherd. 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. To become good shepherds after the example of Christ. 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.
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