Gospel Reflections for April 26 2015
Today’s gospel features one of the most inspiring and much loved images of Our Lord, as the Good Shepherd who bravely takes care of all of us, his sheep.
We are very far removed from shepherding at the time of Jesus. People then looked at shepherds in a whole different way. They were actually considered low class and looked down upon by almost everyone. Why is that?
Shepherds led sheep to graze on land that was not their own. All those little sheep hooves did a lot of damage to good crop land creating animosity between land owners and shepherds.
Shepherds also usually did not own the sheep but worked for pay on behalf someone else. In those days, working for pay was considered low class, as the Gospel indicates. People usually worked for their own families in the family business and lived at home or nearby. When shepherds showed up at the birth of Jesus it signaled that he was to be the savior or everyone, no matter what their status.
Archeology reveals some other beautiful details of this Gospel. At night, the shepherd would lead the flock into an area surrounded by a large circular stone wall. However, there was no gate for this enclosure. Instead, there was about a four foot gap in the circular wall. After the sheep walked through that gap, a shepherd who actually owned and cared for his own sheep, would literally lie down in the gap. Any wolf that wanted a sheep for dinner would have to go through the shepherd.
When the Gospel records Jesus saying that He “lays down His life for His sheep” everyone knew what kind of shepherd He was, the shepherd who puts his own body between the sheep and a dangerous animal. It must have been impressive to hear. Jesus is that person willing to stand between us and evil.
Of course, Jesus the Good Shepherd asks us to be good shepherds ourselves. This Gospel does not call us to be sheep, but rather shepherds like Our Lord. Many of us are in a position of leadership or influence over others, whether it’s our spouse, our children, or fellow employees. Think how they will feel if they sense that you always have their best interests at heart, and will courageously defend them from bad things. Following Jesus means to be a shepherd, not a sheep. Let us become Good Shepherds ourselves!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Image: Public domain work of art.
Wow. That’s beautiful. I did not know that the shepherds literally laid down their lives for their sheep. What a lovely thought. Thank you.
See you on Thursday,
Jeanie
YEs, shepherds literally laid down their lives for the flock and did so every night!
A very thought provoking passage. Our Lord does not ask many of us to lay down our lives. However, we are asked to stand up and live our lives as he showed us how to live.
Well said!
Once again it really helps to know the context of the gospel writings! No matter who we are, HE stands between us and the devil – very comforting!
YEs, we get our strength from Him, …to be a shepherd like Him.
I so look forward to your Gospel Reflections.
Perfection as usual. I love the perspective you always lend to the reading. The only thing that could make it better is to make it an audio file! Maybe give that a thought… God bless you.
Good idea. I will look into it.
I have always loved the shepherds. I know they must have helped Mary with our baby, Jesus,birth.
Yes, I am sure they did.
I appreciate the archeological references. Pope Francis gave us another reason the shepherds might be
considered low class: for smelling like their sheep. Good to have shepherds taking care of us & good
to be a shepherd for others.
Well said!
Fr. Dave
I appreciate your beautiful description of the Gospel this week!! Jesus is the shepherd protecting us from evil. I also like your contemporary viewpoint that we are like the shepherds in our roles as leaders in our family and workplace. I think we should be Christ like in all aspects of life. Thank you for mentioning that Jesus did not care about a person’s social and economic status. He treated everyone as equals.
Have you considered putting your perspectives of the Gospels into a book?
It would be a Best Seller!! Any update on your new parish? They will be very lucky to have you.
Good idea about a book. I will look into that.
I never heard it about the owner laying down for the sheep. WOW and when Jesus said it they knew exactly what He meant.
At a Bible study a lady was talking about when she went to a place where sheep were grazing and noticed that they ll looked alike and couldn’t tell one from the other. Then she sat down and just watched them for a couple of hours and started telling the difference. Reminded me that God doesn’t think, “now what’s her/his name”. He knows each one of us. How? Easy, He has watched us as early as in our mothers womb. After all he knit us together there. 🙂
Well said!
Your reflection today was especially touching for me. I have always loved seeing sheep. Actually, I’ve collected sheep miniatures for years because they remind of Jesus as good shepherd. Your history lesson about sheep and shepherds in the time of Jesus was so enlightening. Thanks you Father for making the gospel today so poignant!
You are welcome!
Loved your beautiful interpretation of this precious Gospel!!! Jesus loves us sooooooooooooooooomuch, He would die to protect us as a good shepherd would protect his sheep and Jesus so willingly did!!! I keep falling more and more in love with Jesus and our beautiful Faith!!! Now I must live our precious faith share it lovingly with the world!!
Thank you!
Hi Fr Dave
Really thoughtful take on today’s Gospel. I have always thought we are the sheep and we are to follow along like sheep do. But Jesus wants us to follow AND lead. Excellent thought. Thank you for that.
Today I am thinking again of the Coptic Christians that were brutally beheaded by the Islamist radicals for being Christian. Makes me think about my own courage if I were in such a position-would I be able to be a good shepherd? I believe those men were martyrs and they all went straight to Jesus’s arms….
Thanks for your reflections. I believe that God sends His grace to us to face challenges only at the moment that we most need it, and not before. I understand how you might not feel ready now to face such a challenge, but when that challenge actually arrives, you will receive the grace that you need. That is good news!