Good Shepherd Sunday

The scripture readings for the 4th Sunday of Easter can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042615.cfm

In our readings for today, we have two images. In our reading from the first letter of John we see the image of us being children of God. In the gospel from St. John, we have the image of us being sheep being led by the Good Shepherd. Which would you rather be? Child of God or Lamb?

Before we answer that question too quickly, let’s look at both images a little more deeply.

In the gospel we hear Jesus say, “I am the Good Shepherd!” These words spoke volumes to those who heard it. Being good and devout Jews, they remembered from the book of Exodus when God told Moses that his name was “I Am!” Throughout the gospel of St. John, there were several times when Jesus would say, “I Am!” “I Am the Alpha and the Omega.” I Am the bread of life.” “I Am the light of the world.” “I Am the resurrection and the life.” “I Am the way, the truth and the life.” “Before Abraham came to be, I AM”. And in today’s gospel, “I Am the good shepherd.” Each time Jesus would say, “I Am” it seemed like blasphemy to the Jews who heard it. This was because Jesus was claiming equality with God – the “I Am.”

The Jews knew that God said he would shepherd his people. The Jews would recall chapter 34 of Ezekiel when God said that he was going to be the Good Shepherd of his sheep. He said the hirelings were caring for themselves instead of the sheep. The Lord said that he would look after and tend his sheep. He would rescue them and bring them home. “The Lost I will seek out… the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal…. Shepherding them rightly.” Then of course there’s Psalm 23 where we read, “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I lack.”

So, when Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd, it was not the pleasant thing for the Jews that it is for us. It was blasphemy. Just as God had spoken to the faithful leaders of the Old Testament, so Jesus was chiding the leaders of his time.

Do I want to be a lamb in Jesus’ flock? I think so! Jesus laid down his life for us. He protects us. When he said, “I am the gate,” he literally meant it.

Regarding being the Child of God, scripture does not say that we are like God’s children. It says we are God’s children now. I can never really be a lamb. That is just a simile. However I can be God’s child. Being a child of God means that I have all the rights of inheritance of the King of kings. Thus I can grow in age and wisdom and grace as Jesus did when he embraced humanity and became man. This means I can expect the love and forgiveness of our heavenly Father.

There are times when I want to be a lamb, cradled, protected, healed, brought back when I stray. But there is nothing to compare with the realty of being a child of God!

When we receive Christ in the Eucharist, we are not only receiving the Good Shepherd who literally gave his life for us, who healed us, who brought us home when we lost our way. We are receiving our brother Jesus, the one who because of his humanity, made us adopted sons and daughters of God. Because of Jesus, we are heirs of the kingdom, recipients of the gifts of the Spirit, eternally united with the Father. How amazing is our God!