So, what, exactly, does a shepherd do? Well, as the name suggests, a shepherd’s first
job is to herd his sheep, to bring
them together, to gather them, to unify them into one body, a body of which he
is the head.
In this Sunday’s Gospel from John, chapter 10, we are reminded
of Jesus’ role as shepherd. Caring for
the sheep that God has given to him, he is united with them – No one can take them out of my hand – as he is with the Father – The Father and I are one. The unity shared by Father and Son is thus
shown to be a mutual bond of love and intimacy, which, through death, Jesus
extends to include the community of believers, a community that will expand
under those who carry Jesus’ message to the Gentiles.
In our reading from Acts, this becomes clear: Peter and Barnabas quote Isaiah’s hope that
all nations will gather in Jerusalem to hear the word of God. It is a radical shift: God’s kingdom is for all. The reading from
Revelation underscores this point: all nations will find their common
source in God. In his fulfillment of his
promise to mankind, we are united by our common ground: God’s love for us, expressed by the death of
his Son, who lays down his life for his sheep: The Lamb
who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs
of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
So if we are his
people, the flock he tends, as Psalm 100 tells us, then what is our role in
this relationship of sheep to shepherd?
The psalm offers a few clues. We
are invited to participate in worship through song and service: Sing
joyfully to the Lord… Serve the Lord with gladness. If we know
that the Lord is God, then we recognize how God is active in our lives,
recognize what we need to witness to.
And if we recognize God’s covenant, as expressed through God's kindness and faithfulness, then we can acclaim them, and the more we acclaim them, the more we
become more aware of their truth in our lives.
As sheep, then, we are called to give voice to our collective and united
identity as God’s children, led by the love that is Jesus the Lamb, the Lamb who is our Shepherd.
This reflection is based on Fr. Pat's Scripture class.
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