I Know My Sheep

 

 Jn 10:11-18

The Good Shepherd

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

The beloved and popular image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd still speaks to us who have little or no contact with sheep, nor do we consider ourselves as sheep.  Yet, the tenderness, protectiveness, loyalty and love of the Good Shepherd console us and encourages us when we feel lost, adrift or unsure. Our Good Shepherd not only protects us, guides us to green pastures and seeks us when we are lost, but has laid down his life for us. What a consolation, what a motivation to proceed fearlessly and confidently. May our reflection on these few verses and our experience of the Good Shepherd's presence and care in our lives encourage us to walk with confidence into the unknown or each day as well as inspire us to be good shepherds to those in our care or to those who are actually lost...for the moment.

Dear Jesus, you are my beloved Good Shepherd; help me to be a good shepherd to others. Amen.