Dialogue with the Shepherd

Sheep, Shepherd and Holy Spirit images in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to integrate our personal relationship with Jesus and our call to be shepherd in relationship to others.

Near the gate

The Baptism of the Gentiles recounted in the Acts of the Apostles was a difficult extension of Jesus Life to pagans.

* [11:1–18] The Jewish Christians of Jerusalem were scandalized to learn of Peter’s sojourn in the house of the Gentile Cornelius. Nonetheless, they had to accept the divine directions given to both Peter and Cornelius. They concluded that the setting aside of the legal barriers between Jew and Gentile was an exceptional ordinance of God to indicate that the apostolic kerygma was also to be directed to the Gentiles. Only in Acts 15 at the “Council” in Jerusalem does the evangelization of the Gentiles become the official position of the church leadership in Jerusalem.

The image of the Good Shepherd in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John resonates with Hebrew Scripture and points to our mission as disciples to be the gate to peace and security for people through communion with Christ.

* [10:7–10] In Jn 10:7–8, the figure is of a gate for the shepherd to come to the sheep; in Jn 10:9–10, the figure is of a gate for the sheep to come in and go out.

Father Thomas Rosica, CSB, shares the critical importance of Jesus as the sheep gate in the Third Millennium.

"As the Third Millennium approaches, the Church knows that the Good Shepherd continues, as always, to be the sure hope of humanity. Jesus Christ never ceases to be the 'sheep gate.' And despite the history of humanity's sins against life, he never ceases to repeat with the same vigor and love: 'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly' (John 10:10).

Luis Rodriguez, S.J. raises the question of how familiar we are with our Shepherd.

The image’s other dimension is the sheep’s attitude toward the good shepherd, which is one of deep trust, a trust that grows out of familiarity: they know the shepherd’s voice, each one feels addressed when the shepherd pronounces its name. This of course raises the question of how familiar we are with our Shepherd. Do we relate to the Lord on a third-person basis, or on a second-person basis? When we face a decision, do we ask “What could God [third person] want of me?”, or do we ask “What do You [second person] want of me, Lord?”, … A second-person rapport makes us more vulnerable to God’s desires, but today’s parable seems to be nudging us to ask for the grace of growing in this type of second-person rapport of familiarity with the Shepherd, so we can recognize his voice and feel addressed when called by name.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. as he explores the question of looking to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to receive the strength and courage we need to live and serve as his disciple.

"He has accomplished what he taught us: He has shown us what He commanded us to do. He laid down his own life for his sheep, that within our mystery he might change his body and blood into food, and nourish the sheep he had redeemed with the food of his own flesh. He has shown us the way we must follow, despite fear of death. He has laid down the pattern to which we must conform ourselves. The first duty laid on us is to use our material goods in mercy for the needs of his sheep, and then, if necessary, give even our lives for them. He that will not give of his substance for his sheep, how shall he lay down his life for them?"

Friar Jude Winkler unpacks some of the challenges to the Jewish Christian community presented by the action of Peter, guided by the Spirit, to baptize the “God-fearer”, Cornelius. Jesus is the sheep gate that leads to safety and home with God. The sheep know His voice like Mary Magdalene in the garden on Easter morning.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects that we need to realize that there’s something deeper than our gender, anatomy, or physical passion. It is our ontological self or who we are forever in Christ.

As Paul courageously puts it, “There is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Those who have already begun to experience their divine union will usually find it very easy to be compassionate toward people who are not like them because they know they share the same essential self that is “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

The verdant pastures of Psalm 23 and the sheep gate in the Gospel of John are intimate connections to God where our Life is made full (John 10:10)  to model being Good Shepherd to others.

References


(n.d.). CHAPTER 11 The Baptism of the Gentiles Explained. 1Now the .... Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/acts11.htm

(n.d.). John, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/john/10:1

(2011, May 10). Jesus Never Ceases to Be the Sheep Gate – ZENIT – English. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://zenit.org/articles/jesus-never-ceases-to-be-the-sheep-gate/

(n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/