Christ makes known in Our Gospel, “I am the good Shepherd.”
The shepherd is given an important role for it is up to their watchful care to provide for the needs of the sheep who have been entrusted to them. Sheep must receive water, food, and safety and the shepherd must make sure that these are provided. Psalm 23 reflects this important role by stating, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.” “In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me.” “He guides me along right paths.”
From Jeremiah 23 we are told of shepherds of people who have misused their responsibility in shepherding their flock. “Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.” Later, it is promised, “I will raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear or be terrified; none shall be missing.”
A good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. As we are told from the lips of our Blessed Lord, “This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.” You see the Lord’s love for us is great and yet we must reflect upon the ways in which we choose to reciprocate this love. So often we are found too busy and consumed into our own wants to enter into relationship with the Lord.
The sheep know the voice of the good shepherd and thus respond to it. We must come to know this voice by cultivating such a relationship with Christ. The world is such a busy place, but we cannot forget to enter into this life giving relationship. The glamour of sin exists, but we must rebuke it by choosing to stay close to the Lord. He truly provides for our needs especially though the sacramental life of the Church.
We must pray that we will always have good shepherds in the life of the Church. At this time we continue to pray that we will soon receive a new bishop for this Diocese of Knoxville. We must remember that by virtue of our own baptism we are also called to be a good shepherd. We must live and assist others in their pursuit of God. This means that we must embrace a relationship with the Lord and turn away from those paths which keep us far from Him.
In the words of Saint John Paul II, “What a blessing it is to know Christ, the Good Shepherd, to know Him as the Redeemer who laid down His life for the sheep, to know Him as the Risen Lord, the source of everlasting joy and life. What a blessing it is to know the Good Shepherd and to believe in Him. This gift of faith is the greatest blessing we could ever receive in life.”
Let us strive to know Christ the Good Shepherd and to live a life modeled after His commands.
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