Message from our Pastor
Pastor’s Message – Church of Saint Benedict
Friday of the Third Week in the Easter Season
Almighty ever-living God, lead us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave Shepherd has gone before. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Collect for the Mass on the Fourth Sunday in the Easter Season (Good Shepherd Sunday)
This Fourth Sunday in the Easter Season is also known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday and also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations based on the Reading (John 10:11-18) in which Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
“I am,” or Greek from the original, “ego eimi.” These are the same words that God speaks to reveal the divine identity. “I am who I am” are God’s words (Exodus 3:14) to Moses when asked for the name of God.
When Jesus says, “I am”, He is saying “I am God”, God the Son. It’s God who is speaking. We hear this elsewhere in the John’s Gospel where Jesus says:
I am the Bread of Life, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist (John 6:35).
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12).
I am the Gate (John 10:9).
I am Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
I am the True Vine (John 15:1).
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
This statement declares His divine identity. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He lays down His life for the sheep. They know and follow Him.
It is also a statement of our own identity. If Jesus is the Shepherd, then we are the sheep. This probably isn’t the highest form of a compliment and some use this image of sheep as a sign of contempt toward religious believers. To them, only the foolish, weak, and unintelligent believe in God. The enlightened and strong are above such outdated superstitions, or so goes the argument.
Allow me to suggest that to accept that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that we are the sheep points to something different. We are indeed sheep, but not unintelligent, weak, or foolish, provided that we long to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd guiding us.
To be sheep means to be the Church. It means we, together, long for holiness. We long for community that is a spiritual home, goodness, beauty, truth, and an ultimate meaning to our lives, which end all too soon. It also means that we admit our own powerlessness and limitations.
To say that Jesus is the Good Shepherd is to say that we are created to hear, listen, and follow His voice and to be one with Him. He gives us our identity. We accept His reality.