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The Good Shepherd

The image of the Good Shepherd is one of the most enduring and comforting in the Gospels. Jesus cares for each of us; he cares for me as an individual. What escapes our attention in the image is the role of the flock. We are to follow and not wander off. In other words, the image presented a two way relationship, not a two dimensional portrait of our Savior.

FEAST OF ST. MATTHIAS  May 14, 2011

MP3 PODCAST  In the audio podcast, we can use the analogy of a door man and a tour guide to describe Jesus. He is like a door man when he declared he was the sheep gate to the Kingdom. He is like a tour guide when he stated he was the Good Shepherd. Of course, both these analogies fall short, but they do give us insight into the meaning of the images.

FIRST READING  In Acts, Peter finished his Pentecost proclamation with a challenge: turn back to God, profess faith in Christ through baptism, anticipate the gift of the Spirit. For Peter this was the way to escape judgement from God’s wrath; this was the way to prepare for the end times.

PSALM  Psalm 23 has been made famous by its opening line, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” This hymn is actually a prayer for safe travel and joyous arrival. The psalm encourages us to trust the Lord on our life’s journey and anticipate feasting in the Kingdom.

SECOND READING The reading from 1 Peter addressed difficulties on the road of life. As Christians, we suffer from the critique and hatred of others. The author of 1 Peter saw this suffering as a blessing. We suffer as Christ suffered. He is our example of living.

GOSPEL These passages from John described Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gate to the sheep corral. Both emphasized the role of the Messiah. Like David, he was a shepherd who would guide the people. But he was more; he was the gate that allowed the faithful into the Kingdom. He allowed people to see God; he led people to see God.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Brad loved video games, even violent ones, but knew the difference between make-believe and reality, between right and wrong. He had the courage to walk away. In the Gospel story, Jade waited for her mother at the end of after-school care. She waited so her mother could care for her. Like the stories, we should know when to turn to God and away from evil; we should also trust Jesus to care for us.

CATECHISM LINK This week’s Catechism Link compares the care of the Good Shepherd with the care Jesus gives us in the Eucharist.

FAMILY ACTIVITY To emphasize the theme of the Good Shepherd, have your family members map out a schedule for pet care. Discuss how care for your family’s pet is like (or not like) the way the Good Shepherd cares for us.

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