Sundays

I.Theme –   Jesus as the Good Shepherd

 “The Good Shepherd” – Daniel Bonnell

The lectionary readings are here  or individually:
Old Testament – Acts 9:36-43
Psalm – Psalm 23
Epistle – Revelation 7:9-17
Gospel – John 10:22-30

Today’s readings explore the image of God as a caring Shepherd. Scripture frequently uses the metaphor of shepherd and sheep to describe the relationship between the faithful and God. Easter 4 is often referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday,”

In Acts, the apostles’ preaching and miracles bring many Gentiles to believe and follow. The familiar words of Psalm 23 illustrate our understanding of the relationship between the Good Shepherd and his sheep.

The Revelation to John gives us another image of the shepherd. As the seer looks around him, he sees a great multitude that no one can count. They come from all tribes, nations, and languages as they stand before the throne of the Lamb, wearing white robes and waving palm branches. The wrote robes signify their deliverance from tribulation, and the palms their victory over trials. Freed from hunger and thirst, those who were persecuted are now forever in the presence of God, able to worship God day and night in the temple.

In today’s gospel, Jesus pictures his relationship to the faithful as that of a shepherd who works for the life of the sheep. Jesus as a shepherd caring for his own flock provides more than green pasture and still waters. Jesus as a shepherd caring for his own flock provides more than green pasture and still waters – Jesus offers eternal life.

Our Good Shepherd guides us through the heights and depths of life, even during the most difficult times when we feel we are alone and abandoned, even when we feel the absence of God.

The sheep trust the shepherd. We who follow Jesus trust Jesus. We trust his voice, and we believe because we trust. It’s less a question of doubts verses faith as it is a question of trust verses mistrust. We may have doubts and questions about faith, but if we trust in Jesus, we still have faith. It is when we do not trust that we have lost. Trust leads to faith, and what Jesus calls us to do is to know his voice.

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