4th Sunday of Easter
In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” What does this image teach us?
Jesus calls himself “GOOD.” The Greek word he uses for “good” carries with it the quality of humble nobility. Here’s an example of “good.” I grew up in a small railroad apartment where physical quarantine was almost impossible. When my sister came down with measles, our family doctor asked my parents if I could join him and his family at their home in Far Rockaway to keep me isolated until she was over her illness. He was a “good” doctor. He cared for my sister, me, and my parents all at the same time. He gladly went the extra mile.
In Jesus’ day, scattered throughout the pastures were walled-in communal pens. The flock was in most danger during the night, so the shepherds gathered their flocks in the safety of these pens. The interesting thing about these communal pens was that they didn’t have doors. They just had an opening. The shepherd himself was the door. He would sleep in the open doorway. If a wolf or another wild animal tried to attack the sheep, it would literally have to walk over the shepherd.
Jesus is holding himself up as THE model for anyone in a leadership position. Priests and ministers are called shepherds. Do they go the extra mile? Do they feed their sheep? Are they willing to lay down their lives for their sheep? Parents are shepherds. Teachers are shepherds. Political leaders are shepherds.
How do we fare when we compare ourselves with THE GOOD SHEPHERD? To what extent do our lives give good examples to young people in the process of becoming shepherds themselves? Every one of us has something deeply serious to think about today.
Let us pray:
Lord, we thank you for shepherding us through the challenges we face daily. Your goodness to us is the model we are called to follow as we shepherd one another. Enable us to lead others into life. Amen.