READ SCRIPTURE (John 10: 11-18)
[Jesus said:] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
REFLECT ON THE READING
In the ancient Near East, kings and other leaders were often compared with shepherds. But many of them were quite awful, serving only themselves, misleading and betraying and even forsaking the people. They could destroy instead of working to build. We too sometimes have bad leaders. We may even be tempted to support them. Or we may ourselves be such leaders. But Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the Good Shepherd. He does his “shepherding” — his knowing and leading us — by laying down his life in love, by staying with us, sharing our need and death, and never running away. By the Spirit God gives us through the scriptures — as also through the water of baptism and the overflowing cup of the eucharist — we know him and his healing name. Even now, in a time of separation, the risen Christ is drawing us together into unity as one flock with the one true shepherd. Saved from ourselves and from bad leadership, we are formed to believe in the name of Jesus, to love each other, and to give ourselves to our neighbor’s needs.
PRAY TOGETHER
O Lord Christ, good shepherd of the sheep, you seek the lost and guide us into your fold. Feed us, and we shall be satisfied; heal us, and we shall be whole. Make us one with you, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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