Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 26, 2015 - 4th Sunday of Easter - B
[Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18]"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." [John]
The image of Jesus walking along with a lamb in his arms and adult sheep looking up at him adoringly has been enshrined in stained glass and bibles/holy cards. The attitude is one of comfort and trust. There is an edge to it, too, because the "good shepherd" lays down his life for the sheep! The image is the principal focus of chapter 10 in the Gospel of John and I urge the Beloved Congregation to read the whole section up to verse 44 today since we are given only a part of it for the liturgy.
The parable is not only about faith but about trust. The first comparison is between Jesus and a hired hand. The hired hand has no investment in the sheep! The second comparison is between Jesus as the gate to the corral, which protects the sheep, and thieves who come to murder and plunder. Jesus will lay down his life for the sheep. The relationship is expressed in the sheep recognizing his unique call (still the practice in the Middle East where sheep from more than one flock are kept in a common corral).
It is this dedication of the shepherd to the sheep that is crucial here. Yes, our response in faith is essential, but this faith and trust are based on the dedication of the shepherd to our well-being. Does Jesus remain for you a distant figure from the past who lives in a distant heaven? Is he an immediate and loving figure who cares for you? Who else do you know that has given up life in this world for you? Pope Francis has expressed the relationship in the words: "the smell of the sheep." It may seem a silly question, but, I'll ask it anyhow: "What does Jesus smell like to you?" AMEN
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