4th Sunday after Easter

4th Sunday of Easter – The Good Shepherd

“I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own and my own know me”.

What picture comes to mind when you think of the Good Shepherd? It is probably the same as mine – Our Lord holding a small lamb – lovingly, protectively, securely and with ownership. Jesus owns the lamb and it belongs to him.

Or maybe it’s the picture of the shepherds at night being visited by the angels and then being at the birth of Jesus in the stable?

I have only ever met one man who was a sort of shepherd. I say “sort of” because he ran a farm and on this farm he had herds of deer – thousands of them. They seemed to have the run of his land and he moved them from field to field as necessary.

And then I watched as he went first to one field and then to others; climbed upon the metal gate and cried out something that sounded like – “Kimbuye; Kimbuye”. And when he did – the fields that had seemed empty of animals and simply full of long grass – became alive.

Animals appeared from far corners; from over hills or rises or from simply lying down. They raised their heads, stood up and made their way over to the gate; over to the shepherd. At each field, at each call – his animals came over to him. They shied away from me and my presence but stayed close to him as he stroked them and spoke to them. It was quite a magical experience to watch and be a part of.

He was and is my only experience of seeing a shepherd or someone like a shepherd. But he doesn’t compare to the shepherds in today’s gospel. He had a fixed farm with fixed fields and fences. He had a very mixed set of animals that he was farming or looking after. He had a very high standing in his local community and was a local magistrate and school governor. In all – he was a person of high repute and standing.

So nothing like a shepherd at the time of Christ. Jesus used the image of a shepherd very deliberately because of the impact it would have. Everyone knew shepherds and had opinions about them; they were integral to life – but out on the edges.

Shepherds then were needed and respected to a degree for the hard life they had to live - but not wanted in society. Theirs was an isolated life where they had to roam across the land seeking grazing for their sheep; often across other people’s land.

Theirs was a dangerous life where they had to protect their flocks from wolves, hyenas, bears and raiders.

Theirs was an isolated life where they lived most of the time on their own, walking from pasture to pasture; stopping seldom and only then for markets or for winter feeds.

Their flocks were everything to them – food; clothing; growth; survival and they risked their lives to protect and guard and guide them to safety at all times.

They were seen as unclean by town and village people and by the holy men of the Temple.

Jesus draws this picture of himself as a shepherd very deliberately. His is not in a stand-off relationship with his flock: he is engaged at all times with them. He knows each and every one of them; each and every one of us. He defends them with a very-hands-on approach. He checks and challenges where they go and what they do so as to make sure they are safe and secure; that they can grow and develop.

He looks for individuals when they are lost or have strayed from the flock. He spends time searching for them. He is not content with letting them go; letting them get lost; letting them walk away. He is a true shepherd that is not content until all his flock are safely gathered in.

He personally faces up to any who would threaten his flock and their welfare.

He puts himself between them and any and all dangers and he makes the ultimate sacrifice by laying down his life for his sheep. His love is ultimate and beyond any and all measures.

His is a love that is individual to every member of his flock. His is a relationship that allows each one of us to recognise his voice; to recognise his “Kimbuye” as a call to love; as a call of his love.

His is a love that lets us see him as our true shepherd.

But we also need to look around and see where and who our fellow flock-members are. How readily do we ignore others in need? How easily do we comment on the plight of others but do nothing about it? 

On this day of vocations throughout the world, let us pray to the Good Shepherd for an increase in those who are called to be pastors to the flock. But let us also pray for the strength and vision to place ourselves as helpers to the shepherd and to look after those who are lost or struggling to find a place of safety and love.