I’m not sure how much you know about sheep, but in
case you haven’t studied this ovine species recently, I'll fill you in. Sheep
are gentle and docile by nature. They tend to have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
and they tend to congregate in flocks for safety and protection. Because they
hate being alone, sheep are not independent; they need a shepherd to guide them
to good, clean water and places of pasture. Sheep have poor vision but exceptional
hearing, allowing them to hear and recognize the voice of their shepherd, even
when they have drifted far away or are surrounded by the sheep of another
flock. Sheep are not very
intelligent but they are extremely loyal to their shepherd. Sheep rely heavily
on their shepherd for care and protection. For example, if a sheep falls over
onto its back, it is unable to get back on its feet and will die unless the
shepherd comes and rolls it over.
You are getting a crash course in sheep because the
fourth Sunday of Easter, is Good Shepherd Sunday. The Church gives us this
feast, with these wonderful readings to continue our meditation on Easter as we
hear of Christ as a loving shepherd. But if we are going to appreciate the
metaphor of sheep and shepherd, used by Christ himself, we first have to
know a little something about sheep. Most of us are so far removed from the
care of animals like cows, sheep, and pigs that this metaphor loses some of its
power.
In the ancient world, sheep were crucial for
everyday life. They were a source of wool
for clothing, their milk was used
for cheese and nourishment. They could be slaughtered for meat, and even used
for temple sacrifice. However, most sheep were raised for their wool and would
live 8-10 years in the same flock, with the same shepherd.
But sheep were helpless without
a shepherd. The shepherd was an essential figure in the ancient world. He would
protect the sheep from wild dogs and wolves and he would find them places of
pasture for grazing. The shepherd did not drive the sheep; he would actually
walk before them and lead them to the place they were going.
Shepherds would name each of their sheep; this helped him to know if one of the
flock was missing. Finally, each night, if possible, the shepherd would lead
his sheep to a sheepfold. This was an enclosure with walls to help protect the
sheep at night from predators and thieves. There was only one opening for the
animals to enter and exit. At night, the shepherd would lay down across this
opening to block any predators from coming in. The shepherd literally laid down his own body to protect the sheep from thieves and wild animals.
This was the relationship that existed in the
ancient world between sheep and shepherd. The sheep were lost without
the shepherd; they relied on him totally
for food, water, and protection. If they became lost, he would find them and
bring them back. In short, the sheep put their trust completely in the shepherd. The shepherd, for his part, sacrificed himself for the good of the flock. He
put himself in danger to protect them when wild animals approached. He spent
long hours each day making sure all his sheep were accounted for. And he would
always lead them, making sure that they would find places for food, water, and
safety.
With this deeper understanding of the relationship
between sheep and shepherd, we can begin to appreciate the notion of Christ as our
shepherd and we as his sheep.
As much as we like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient, independent, and
intelligent; there are times for each of us, when we are confused,
helpless, and lost in life. For some of us, our valley of darkness will be
unhealthy personal relationships, for others it might be some sort of addiction
or dependency. The shadow of death for us, for our spiritual lives might be
experienced in the loss of a friend or family member, a personal struggle with
greed or lust, or even some personal tragedy like a serious injury or grave
illness.
Even though we live in the 21st century,
even though we live in the United States with so many good things, we are often
like sheep. We are still in need of a shepherd. We need someone who will guide
us through the dangers and hazards of our everyday lives. We need a good
shepherd, who will walk with us and lead us to fresh pastures. A good shepherd
who will protect us from all spiritual dangers and will search us out and find
us if we get lost.
Christ is
that Good Shepherd. He leads us to the fresh waters of grace, especially in the
sacraments. He takes us to green pastures, in a particular way here in the
Eucharist. Christ knows each one of us by name. Like a good shepherd, he knows
us and calls us ever closer to him. If we fall, and we all do, he lifts us up
and puts us back on our feet through the sacrament of reconciliation. Finally,
Jesus protects us. By giving us the Church, he makes sure that we have a
sheepfold for rest and protection from the attacks of the world, the flesh
and the devil. Here in the Eucharist he lays down his own life; he
sacrifices his very own body, so we might have life and have it more
abundantly. In him our souls find contentment and peace.
We, for our part, must be good sheep. We must learn
to hear and recognize the voice of our shepherd, Christ the Lord. There are
many other voices that try to pull us away from Jesus and the flock of the
Catholic Church. We must allow the Lord to lead us through the Church, the sacraments, and prayer.
May we be people who follow Christ, the Good Shepherd, as he leads us to the
green pastures of our heavenly homeland. May our hearts echo the words of the
psalm today: “the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”
