The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the promises of the Good Shepherd to lead us to the green pastures and still waters of full life.
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter addresses the crowd, including the First Converts.
* [2:38] Repent and be baptized: repentance is a positive concept, a change of mind and heart toward God reflected in the actual goodness of one’s life. It is in accord with the apostolic teaching derived from Jesus (Acts 2:42) and ultimately recorded in the four gospels. Luke presents baptism in Acts as the expected response to the apostolic preaching about Jesus and associates it with the conferring of the Spirit (Acts 1:5; 10:44–48; 11:16). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Psalm 23 praises the Divine Shepherd.
* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).
* [23:1] My shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ez 34:11–16; Jn 10:11–18).
* [23:3] Right paths: connotes “right way” and “way of righteousness.”
* [23:5] You set a table before me: this expression occurs in an exodus context in Ps 78:19. In front of my enemies: my enemies see that I am God’s friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Ps 104:15; Mt 26:7; Lk 7:37, 46; Jn 12:2).
* [23:6] Goodness and mercy: the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel. (Psalms, PSALM 23, n.d.)
The reading from the First Letter of Peter shares the return to the Shepherd.
* [2:21] Suffered: some ancient manuscripts and versions read “died” (cf. 1 Pt 3:18).
* [2:22–25] After the quotation of Is 53:9b, the passage describes Jesus’ passion with phrases concerning the Suffering Servant from Is 53:4–12, perhaps as employed in an early Christian confession of faith; cf. 1 Pt 1:18–21 and 1 Pt 3:18–22.
* [2:25] The shepherd and guardian of your souls: the familiar shepherd and flock figures express the care, vigilance, and love of God for his people in the Old Testament (Ps 23; Is 40:11; Jer 23:4–5; Ez 34:11–16) and of Jesus for all humanity in the New Testament (Mt 18:10–14; Lk 15:4–7; Jn 10:1–16; Heb 13:20). (1 Peter, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
The Gospel of John proclaims Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
* [10:1–21] The good shepherd discourse continues the theme of attack on the Pharisees that ends Jn 9. The figure is allegorical: the hired hands are the Pharisees who excommunicated the cured blind man. It serves as a commentary on Jn 9. For the shepherd motif, used of Yahweh in the Old Testament, cf. Ex 34; Gn 48:15; 49:24; Mi 7:14; Ps 23:1–4; 80:1.
* [10:1] Sheepfold: a low stone wall open to the sky.
* [10:4] Recognize his voice: the Pharisees do not recognize Jesus, but the people of God, symbolized by the blind man, do.
* [10:6] Figure of speech: John uses a different word for illustrative speech than the “parable” of the synoptics, but the idea is similar.
* [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.
* [10:8] [Before me]: these words are omitted in many good early manuscripts and versions. (John, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)
Mardell Wilson comments that our reading reminds us that the only way to enter into the ultimate sheep gate is by confessing Jesus Christ as the risen Lord. The simple fact is that anytime we take responsibility for all or even some small fraction of our salvation, we will lose.
Don Schwager quotes “Green pastures and still waters,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!'" (excerpt from Sermon 366,3,1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 23:1-6 comments that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows what we need to flourish as well, so he promises that we will “find pasture” in him (John 10:9). On this Good Shepherd Sunday, let’s take some time to follow Jesus into the “verdant pastures” promised in the responsorial psalm (Psalm 23:2).
The Good Shepherd came so that you “might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This life grows and deepens in prayer. It’s Jesus’ own life in you. So let him lead you each day to the rich pastures where he is waiting for you. There you will find refreshment, restoration, and peace.
“Jesus, you are my Good Shepherd who leads and guides me. There is nothing and no one else I want but you.” (Meditation on Psalm 23:1-6, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the passage from Acts calling the people to repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit. We hear that the Good Shepherd calls us, like Mary Magdalene, by name. Friar Jude notes that we should try to be open to shifts in the messages that we receive from the symbols in Scripture.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, honors how painful transformation can be and reminds us to be patient with ourselves and the process.
Spiritual transformation always includes a disconcerting reorientation. It can either help people to find new meaning or it can cause people to close down and slowly turn bitter. The difference is determined precisely by the quality of our inner life, our practices, and our spirituality. Change happens, but transformation is always a process of letting go, and living in the confusing, shadowy, transitional space for a while. Eventually, we are spit up on a new and unexpected shore. We can see why Jonah in the belly of the whale is such an important figure for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
In moments of insecurity and crisis, shoulds and oughts don’t really help. They just increase the shame, guilt, pressure, and likelihood of backsliding into unhealthy patterns. It’s the deep yeses that carry us through to the other side. It’s those deeper values we strongly support—such as equality and dignity for all—that allow us to wait it out. Or it’s someone in whom we absolutely believe and to whom we commit. In plain language, love wins out over guilt any day. (Rohr, 2023)
We journey, at times, in valleys that may be in the shadow of death with the faith that our Shepherd will lead us into life through the prompting of the Spirit.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/2?14
John, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?1
Meditation on Psalm 23:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/04/30/669034/
1 Peter, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/2?20
Psalms, PSALM 23. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23?1
Rohr, R. (2023, April 30). New Beginnings — Center for Action and Contemplation. Daily Meditations Archive: 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/new-beginnings-2023-04-30/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Came That They May Have Life Abundantly. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=apr30
Wilson, M. (2023, April 30). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/043023.html
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