Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Sunday – May 7, 2017

 

Jesus as shepherd -  Jesus as the door or gate of the sheepfold.

The Gospel of John spends considerable time on the concepts of “Life”, or “eternal life”. Here’s the thing – it’s not just about life after death. It is life that begins here and now; it is about knowing God: Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Spirit. It is about knowing the voice of the good shepherd who teaches us, loves us, truly cares for us. It is life in community, finding security and nourishment as part of his flock. It is life that abounds in meaning and value and endures even beyond death.

Jesus emphasizes something about sheep: that they absolutely know the voice of their shepherd. Whatever else one can say about their mental prowess (or lack thereof - we have all probably heard the tales of sheep as not being the “brightest bulbs”), here is something important: The sheep recognize the voice of the one who cares for them. They follow their shepherd. They will not follow a stranger whose voice they do not know. 

What about us? Do we recognize the voice of the good shepherd over all the other voices?