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Gospel: John 10: 11-18
Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”
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 among the most pitiful creatures in the animal kingdom.
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 defend them.
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 big 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. “I’ll put you on my shoulders. Come to me!”
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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, and they’ll follow him wherever he goes. For example, if he descends a mountain and walks into the valley below, they’ll follow him.
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, then we, too, will 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… Only goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life. I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”
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Sheep also have a natural herding mentality.
If one of them gets separated from the flock, then it literally stands in place and shivers, waiting either for its shepherd or for death, because sheep have no natural defense of their own.
Their strength lies in their closeness to the shepherd, and therefore in staying with the flock, which is why Jesus will leave the 99 for the one who is lost. That sheep would die without him.
Now, when the Lord finds his 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.
Like sheep, we are not meant to journey alone; 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 that I belong to the flock? Do I feel a need for the Lord and his Church?
This also begs the question: What are we doing for those who say, “no,” who feel disconnected?
While we’ve done a great deal to re-engage the youth and the elderly, there’s still much work to be done to reach 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.
People of “all generations.”
They need to be invited, included, welcomed. Thus, the work of our parish continues.
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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) Embracing Life (2) National Catholic Register (3) psephizo.com
