Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2025: Acts 9:36-43; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30; Psalm 23
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, when we are reminded of the frequency with which Jesus used images of sheep and shepherds in his preaching. This reflects the fact that he lived in a pastoral society: in the hills of Judea, there were shepherds–women and men, boys and girls–watching their sheep. People knew what a shepherd was. It was an accessible image.
Shepherds are not as familiar to us, so we have to think more about the ways Jesus tells these stories. One of the things that is useful to know is that often multiple flocks were (and still are) grazing in the same area: there are no fences up on the hills. So knowing which sheep belonged to which shepherd was important. The recognition was mutual: a shepherd knew which were his sheep, and the sheep knew their voice. And while those of us who live in a city may not see all the differences, people who have even large flocks of sheep can tell them all apart. Sheep are individuals.
The shepherd is a comforting image. We hear today the words of Psalm 23, which many of us memorized as children, and so often read at funerals. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. Throughout the psalm, the verbs tells us about our relationship to the Lord. He leads me, revives me, guides me, comforts me. He feeds me, “in the presence of those who trouble me.” It is not surprising that the psalmist proclaims that “I shall fear no evil” because the Lord is with him. God’s promise is a comfort.
In today’s gospel Jesus is in the Temple, and some of his fellow Judeans want some plain statement of his identity. And he won’t give it. He calls on the familiar image of the shepherd, and the resonances of Psalm 23. He tells them he is like a shepherd, he can recognize his sheep. And they can hear his voice. They will have eternal life, and not be snatched from him. It is a powerful statement of protection. Jesus, like the Lord in the psalm, will take care of his sheep.
But there are other things to know about sheep and shepherds. Shepherds rarely deal with sheep who are clean and fluffy like stuffed animals. They are messy, muddy, and generally covered with bits of grass and brambles. They go their own way: the shepherd’s crook is designed to pull them back into the flock: the shepherd tries to prevent sheep from being lost. So if we are Jesus’ sheep, he knows we are not perfect, and he will try to pull us back. If we listen, we will not be lost.
But I have a nagging question. How will Jesus recognize us? If Jesus showed up today, how would he know we were his sheep? Unlike sheep today, who are generally marked by their owner in some way, we don’t necessarily wear badges that proclaim our faith. And anyone can put on a badge! So it will have to be how we carry ourselves: how do we carry out his commandments to love one another?
Some people have recently suggested that the commandment to love one another works in circles, so you have the greatest obligation to those closest to you. For most of us, in practical ways, this makes sense. But Jesus was very clear: our love is not just for those close to us. The Good Samaritan helped someone who had no connection to him. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus affirms that “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Matt 25:40). In Revelation we read that “the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd“: the most vulnerable will be the leader. So we share God’s love with everyone: we seek Jesus in everyone.
If we are guided and led, we need to follow. It is a two way relationship. Do we always follow Jesus? It’s sometimes hard. I for one have not gone off in sandals with no money to preach the gospel, for instance. Nor have I rejected my family. Most of us pay more attention to some parts of Jesus’ teaching than others. Jesus also calls us in different ways, using our gifts.
In the week ahead, we can think: if Jesus is our good shepherd, will he recognize us? Do we listen to his voice? And where is he leading us now?
Leave a Reply