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Gospel: John 10: 27-30
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. That makes us his sheep.
But why not a different animal, something a little more majestic like an eagle that soars? Or a powerful lion that roars?
Why must we be sheep?
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In some ways, sheep are pitiful creatures.
They’re defenseless. They have neither claws, nor paws, nor venom, nor fangs. No way of protecting themselves. When a wolf comes along looking for its next snack, sheep are an easy target.
When attacked, sheep will literally run around in a big circle, hoping not to be eaten. Can you imagine these poor little creatures thinking, “Catch him! Catch her! Just don’t catch me!”
That furry frenzy reminds me of musical chairs. Someone’s going to lose. Make sure it’s not you! Cowardice at its best.
Sheep need a shepherd in the most literal way. Only he can lead, protect, and defend them.
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Jesus is telling us in the same way, we need him. As he says in the opening lines of his first public sermon, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” those who know their need for God.
Don’t we need the Lord to defend us from the occasional “wolf” lurking in our midst? A certain person, temptation, or event that threatens us, causing us to fret and run around in circles.
For some, it’s a health scare. For others, marital or financial stress, fear, anxiety, or another trigger. We know that feeling of being overwhelmed. Flustered. Afraid.
“Don’t run around in circles,” the Lord says. “Come to me! I will place you on my shoulders and keep you safe for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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During this Easter season, we’re also reminded of our need for the Lord to defend us against the most terrible “wolf” of all, death.
Today’s Gospel imagery fits perfectly.
Sheep only listen the voice of their shepherd. They’ll follow him wherever he goes. If he descends a mountain and walks into the valley below, then they’ll follow him.
Similarly, on Good Friday, our Shepherd went to the tomb. He then passed through the valley of death and rose again on Easter Sunday, teaching us that, if we follow him, we, too, shall find eternal pastures.
As the Psalmist proclaims:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff give me courage.”
Sheep follow their shepherd.
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They also have a strong herding mentality.
If one sheep gets separated from the flock, then it literally stands in place and shivers, waiting either for its shepherd or for death, because sheep cannot defend themselves – and they know it.
Their strength lies in their closeness to the shepherd, thus in staying with the flock, which is why Jesus will leave the 99 for one who is lost. It would die without him.
Now, when the Lord finds a lost sheep, what does he do?
He brings it back to the flock – back to the Church – where it belongs. This is where we receive the Holy Spirit in baptism; God’s mercy in confession; his most holy Body and Blood in the Eucharist.
Our soul needs the Lord and his Church.
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How does it feel to think of myself as a sheep? Do I feel I belong to this flock?
This also begs the question: What are we doing for those who say, “no,” who feel disconnected from the Lord and his Church?
While we’ve done a great deal as a parish, there’s still much work to be done to engage high schoolers trying to connect with their faith, young adults, the newly married, the divorced, people who live alone and have no one to care for them, those on the margins.
People of “all generations.”
They need to be invited, included, and welcomed. This is the work of our new strategic plan, which we continue working on together.
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As our vision statement reminds us, “We are all generations journeying together with Jesus to satisfy our hungry hearts. Come and see!”
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Image credits: (1) Sacred Heart Catholic Church (2) Christianity.com (3) Medium