Today is the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is also Good Shepherd Sunday.
Jews who were expecting a Messiah had a particular idea of what that Messiah would be. Their ideas were formed by David and his kingship. Remember that David was also a shepherd. This Davidic Shepherd-Messiah formed the basis for their ideal Messiah. This is one reason so many Jews didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. He was Davidic in the sense that He was of the house of David but not really in terms of temperament. David was the great warrior king and his identity as a shepherd was certainly secondary.
Jesus, on the other hand was a shepherd first and foremost, but a different kind of shepherd. Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep and They know Him and He puts the needs of the sheep first. He says that He can lay down His life for His sheep and He can take it up again. Jesus’ knowledge of His Father gives Him the authority to do this. The idea of knowledge of the Father is central to Jesus’ identity of the Good Shepherd.
We too are called to be that same kind of shepherd. We all have others we care for, at least at some point in our lives. By knowing Jesus we have a model, and a source of strength, especially through the sacraments, to help us be good shepherds too. While we can lay down our lives for others we don’t have the same authority Jesus had in terms of taking it up again but by knowing Jesus and believing in Him, we know we will rise again.
This idea of shepherding others is something we may not think too much about. If you’re a parent, or spouse, or child, or sibling, or even a good human, you have, or will have, responsibility for shepherding others at least to some extent. Jesus talks about the hireling who doesn’t fully invest themselves in their role as shepherd. As Christians we can’t let that be our view. We have to be all in for others. That commandment to love each other doesn’t leave room for the hireling in terms of shepherding. It is that “all in” that leads us to the cross. While most of us will never be required to undergo the torture of physical crucifixion we will, or at least should if we’re all in, die to self as we put the good of others first. That is being a good shepherd.
So, as we think about today’s Gospel message let’s ask God to help us be more like Christ and be good shepherds to others.
That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.
I hope you have a great week.
Peace, Bob
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