The fourth Sunday of Easter is usually designated “Good Shepherd” Sunday. Over the three year cycle of readings during Easter, we often hear Jesus speak about his role as the Good Shepherd of humanity. He is the one who will leave his flock to go look for the lost sheep. He is the one ready to lay down his life for his sheep. He identifies those qualities that make a good shepherd and warns us not to follow those shepherds who would abandon their sheep to the wolves.
Universally for Christians, Jesus is the Shepherd of all humanity. Roman Catholic Christians will assign the Pope the role of Shepherd of the Church. Cross denominationally, most Christians will see the pastors of their parishes as their shepherds. It is a mistake to isolate only the ordained as being shepherds. Historically in the Christian Church, and recently within our own Archdiocese, there are some we assumed to be our Good Shepherds who have been revealed instead to be wolves dressed in shepherd’s clothing.
Baptized into Christ, we were intimately joined to Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The DNA of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is a major part of our own DNA. St Paul writes that when we put on Christ at our baptism, our bodies were absorbed within the Body of Jesus. Our bodies are His Body. It is the breath of Jesus we breath. His blood flows within our veins. As the living and breathing Body of Christ on this earth, we are all called to be Good Shepherds to one another. As Good Shepherds, we are to love, to support, to guide, to protect, and to provide for the needs of all humanity, who are the flock of Jesus.
Under this umbrella of Jesus the Good Shepherd, parents, be Good Shepherds to your children. Children, be Good Shepherds to your parents, and, brothers and sisters. Within our parish, priests, deacons, parish staff be Good Shepherds to your parishioners. Parishioners, be Good Shepherds to your priests, deacons and parish staff. Within our community, neighbors, be Good Shepherds to those in your neighborhood. For our mayor, and all occupying responsibilities within our city (council members, employees, police, firefighters, EMTs) be Good Shepherds to those you are called to serve. Citizens be Good Shepherds and fulfill your civic responsibilities to those who serve you. This is what we do as Good Shepherds.
