The Good
Shepherd
In Jesus’ time, being a shepherd was not a pleasant job.
Sheep became easily lost and the shepherd’s job was to guide them back to safety.
There were many dangers and the sheep were totally dependent on the shepherd. Shepherds
would round up their sheep in the evening and guide them into their pen. But it
had no gate so the shepherd would have to lie across the space in case the
sheep were attacked in the night. The shepherds literally lay down their lives
for their flock. John compares the sacrifice of the shepherd to the ‘hired
hand’ who is not really committed to the flock. He does what he has to but
flees at the first sign of trouble.
This Good Shepherd Sunday the Gospel describes Jesus as the
‘genuine’ Shepherd who wants a personal relationship with each one of us and
who would lay down his life for us. The Gospel emphasises the importance of
relationship as the shepherd knows his flock and cares for them. They ‘Follow
Him’ and it is not a Facebook or Twitter type of following, rather it is a genuine relationship. Everyone matters
to the Good Shepherd, regardless of their situations. We are told “I know my own and my own know me”. We
are called today to follow Jesus in a more personal more intimate way. Even
when we stray off the path and get lost, it is then especially that the Good
Shepherd comes looking for us.
“We think
we are feeling from God, but in fact we are running into his arms”. (Meister
Eckhart)
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