“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” -John 10:27-28
This week, on the fourth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Each of the three years of the lectionary offers us a different passage from John 10, in which Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who cares forthe good shepherd who calls the sheep by name, and that his sheep know his voice. He also tells us that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, and that he does this of his own will. Finally, in the passage we hear this year, Jesus insists that his sheep have been given to him by the Father, and no one can snatch them away from him.
Metaphors about sheep and shepherds likely worked very well in that part of the world in the first century. Yet in our own context, few of us are very familiar with the process of tending sheep. When I talk to my children about Jesus as a shepherd, I try to relate it to their own experiences of caring for pets. Did you ever have a beloved dog, cat, guinea pig, or fish? Regardless of the species, many of us become extremely attached to our animal companions. When we love an animal and feel a responsibility for it, we’re willing not only to give our time and resources to feed and care for it, but even to take risks or make sacrifices for the sake of the animal’s welfare.
As Jesus’ sheep, we have already received the benefit of his steadfast, loving care. He has guided us in our lives, in prayer and in the voices of others. He feeds us in the sacrament of Holy Communion. And most importantly, he chose to lay down his life for us. Of his own free will, he chose to lead us in the way of love, even in the face of suffering and death. And then after showing us the path of self-giving, of self-offering, he picked up his life again and promised us a share in that eternal life.
As we celebrate this Good Shepherd Sunday, let’s consider the ways Jesus has already shepherded us through our path in life, and where we still feel ourselves in need of his guidance and peace. May we rest in the knowledge that he is always leading us toward green pastures, and that his goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives.
Mother Terry+