Ezekiel 34:11-16/ 1 Peter 2:21-25
John:11-16
Homily for Miserecordia Domini
In our Gospel for today Jesus calls us to have faith in Him as our shepherd.  He says, “I am the good shepherd.”  There are a lot of people today who like to use an image of Jesus as a kind, loving shepherd to peddle their particular thoughts and ideas on how to be a good purpose driven sheep, or how to grow a bigger, exciting and more dynamic flock.  He IS kind and loving, but He is far more than that.  What you don’t hear from these hired workers is how Jesus qualifies what a good shepherd is, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus knows there are shepherds who are not “good” trying to call us into their flocks.  He calls them hired hands who care more for themselves than they do the sheep.  They do a great job when all things are well.  They’re happy to watch the sheep and collect their pay, that is, until danger threatens.  When he sees the wolf coming, he flees.  He doesn’t even try to defend the sheep.  He runs before the wolf arrives, and as a result the sheep are ripped to bits by the wolf.

The prophet Zechariah has something to say about these kinds of shepherds, “Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock!  A sword will be on his arm and on his right eye!  His arm will be totally withered and his right eye will be blind” (Zech. 11:17).  Saying He is the good shepherd, Jesus comforts us by declaring that He does not run from danger, but remains to fight against the threat which is death.  And, if necessary, gives His life for the sheep because He is the only one that can do this.  In defense of the flock, the shepherd must fight with every ounce of his capacity to defeat the enemy.  If he dies before killing the wolf, the sheep are still at risk.  Jesus tells us that the true shepherd is willing to fight to the very end for his sheep. 

I have found this idea of fighting to the death for someone else, or at least the talk of it, to be rare in our language.  We just don’t speak that way, but what mother or father would hesitate to save their child or spouse from harm.  We grow up in the love of our parents knowing without it being said, that they would give anything to protect us, they are our little shepherds.

Jesus, our good shepherd tells us He loves us, AND that He gives His life for us.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Jesus GAVE His life, past-tense, but that He GIVES, present-tense, His life.  Everything Christ gives you is present, His love, His Spirit, His faith, His forgiveness, His body and His blood.  The faith we have in Jesus as our Good Shepherd lives and thrives upon the fact that He is always with us, and is always laying down His life for us.  Even though He has defeated the wolf, and death is now but a mere shadow, He will not leave us, and for that we love Him.

But our love does not grow only because He is the good shepherd.  As He tells us in His next “I am” statement, He is the good shepherd because He knows His sheep and they know Him.  How do sheep know Jesus to be their shepherd?  Because they hear His voice, and respond.  The sheep who has wandered away from the flock cannot hear the voice of the shepherd.  Last week we heard about St. Thomas who was away from the flock when the shepherd spoke to His sheep on Easter day.  Because he was not listening, he could not hear the voice of the shepherd through the disciples who tried to tell him that Christ is risen.  The shepherd had to seek him out, and when Thomas heard the voice of the good shepherd, he responded because he knew His voice.

You know Christ as the good shepherd because you hear His voice.  If you could not hear His voice, then you would have another shepherd.  When a lamb is born, its mother speaks to it so that it will hear and learn her voice.  When you are born in the Church, she speaks to you so that you will hear and learn her voice which is the liturgy.  She says, “Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given you the new birth of water and the Spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with His grace to life + everlasting.”  These are the first words spoken after water and the Spirit are poured over the newly baptized.  What a glorious thing for a newborn soul to hear!

In the same way, you hear the voice of the good shepherd when you gather and remain in His flock.  Sheep are notorious for having weak eyesight, so God blessed them with exceptional hearing ability.  It is no wonder then why there are so many references in Holy Scripture to sheep, shepherds, hearing or listening.  St. Paul says that “we walk by faith, not by sight.”  He also says in Romans, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 10:17)  And there is life in the Word as Jesus responded to Satan in His temptation, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” 

So to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd you need to be near to Him.  Gathered here you are near enough to hear His voice through the sweet song of His Bride, the Church.  She sings to you His words of forgiveness, comfort and strength.  That voice of the Church sounds an awful lot like the voices of the sheep, His believers.  For we are not only sheep who hear and respond, but little shepherds echoing the Good Shepherd and protecting other sheep as He protects us. 

The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep because He loves them, and His love goes beyond the knowing of the sheep.  He has believers who are mixed up with unbelievers under hired hands who care nothing for them.  So He calls us to follow His example, follow in His steps as St. Peter says in our Epistle today.  I’m not only speaking about pastors, but fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.  All of us sheep are also called to be shepherds to our neighbors; through the vocations God has placed us in, even to the point of death. 

Are you afraid to shed blood being a good shepherd?  Don’t be!  Since we have already died in baptism, whatever happens to this flesh does not matter.  Holy Baptism has already granted us eternal life, and because of this we don’t have to try to earn it, so we are free to echo the voice and follow the steps of the one Good Shepherd.  Through you He calls, seeks, rescues and cares for the weak or injured souls who are lost.  Through you He becomes known to them, so they too can have protection and eternal life.

Dear Christians, Jesus chose to use the most effective weapon against our enemy death, Himself.  His voluntary death on the cross is the measure of love for you.  He stands in the gap giving His all on your behalf, and the empty tomb, His resurrection is the guarantee of His Promise to you.  Through His Word, water, body and blood, bread and wine, we hear His voice in the voice of the Church.  Christ is bringing His sheep into one flock, with one shepherd, and you can be confident that you possess eternal life now.  So as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd who is with you always, even unto the ages of ages.  Amen.  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!
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