Shepherd of Life
“Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.”John 10:27-28
On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates “Good Shepherd Sunday” because the Gospel we hear is about the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for His sheep. This Good Shepherd who has been promised to the the people of Israel by the words of the Prophets is God Himself who has taken on human flesh to lead to paradise Himself, His people, His sheep. But, do the sheep hear His voice?
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who is Life itself. He laid down His life so that His sheep might come to have eternal life. Think about that for a second. They very Author of Life laid down His own life so that we might have His life! To someone without faith, this sounds stupid and absurd because it seemingly defies logic and reason, but to a sheep who has opened its ears to listen and its heart to receive, this is the most amazing truth ever because the sheep, something so seemingly insignificant is regarded by God as worthy of His own life. Brothers and sisters, that is how God regards us. Even in our weaknesses and sinfulness, we are loved by Him so much that warrants His giving over of His own life.
So, brothers and sisters, the Shepherd of Life, the Good Shepherd calls out to us today. Are our ears open? Are our hearts open? Do we help other sheep, perhaps even lost sheep open their ears and hearts? It is not enough that we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. We must lead others to hear that voice too. There are so many voices out in the world that disguises to be a voice of the Good Shepherd — the voices of false pleasures, false goods, false truths, and false beauties. We must learn to discern well the voice of Our Good Shepherd who leads us only to life and never death. This path to life will include pain and suffering and the voice of the world will tell us that it is the path of death because of its trials. But we must listen closely and hear the true voice who says to us,
“Yes, there is suffering and pain. But I am with you. I have come to you to give you life, and I will be with you all the way and will lead you to the hand of my Father. Let your hearts not be troubled for I have already conquered sin and death. I am the Good Shepherd and you are my sheep and for you I have laid down my life. Let me raise you up with me for you have been raised to new life, a life that never ends, a life that is with me and my Father. Come to me.”
