The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday since it presents the consoling and popular image of the Good Shepherd in the gospel. The image of the Good Shepherd appears throughout the Old Testament, Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want", being perhaps, the most familiar reference. Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd, I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep, and mine know me." In the Book of Revelation, we read, "For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and led them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev 7" 17). St. Clement of Alexandria who lived at the end of the first century and into the second, describes, even that long ago, our timeless need for a good shepherd: "In our sickness w need a savior, in our wanderings a guide, in our blindness someone to show us the light, in our thirst the fountain of living water which quenches for ever the thirst of those who drink from it. We dead people need life, we sheep need a shepherd, we children need a teacher, the whole world needs Jesus!"
We might take time today to look at a picture of the Good Shepherd, pray Psalm 23 slowly and reflectively, and become aware of the loving care of Jesus for us. We might also pray that we in some ways become good shepherds for others as well as pray for those who have been appointed our shepherds, the Pope (with him, it seems we already have a man who sees himself as just that), our bishops and pastors. May we all be true to the love, guidance and protection of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
Bro. Rene