Today's Scripture Readings
Acts 4:5-12 (NRSV)
The day after they had arrested Peter and John for teaching about Jesus and the resurrection, the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."
- `the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
- it has become the cornerstone.'
Psalm 23 (BCP., p.612)
1 John 3:16-24 (NRSV)
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us-- and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.
John 10:11-18 (NRSV)
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."
Blog Reflection
The society and culture in which we live is so full of "doing it my way" that the idea of a shepherd is too remote. At the same time, our culture is all too vulnerable to being directed by greed, power, prejudice and violence. Leaving ourselves without the Holy One who can lead us to a greater existence of ourselves and one another, is like traveling through an ice cold climate without warm clothing and food. It is only a matter of time before the elements cause the deterioration of our overall health.
The readings for this weekend, give us a glimpse of what a shepherd looks like within the Christian Faith. A shepherd is one who takes great responsibility for the sheep entrusted to them. A qualified shepherd is one who knows each sheep by name and does what the shepherd can to feed, guide and protect them. A shepherd is so concerned with the life of the flock, that the shepherd is ready to sacrifice her/his life for them.
As Christians who follow a Liturgical cycle of readings, the fourth Sunday of the Easter Season is dedicated to the image of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd. Why? Because for Christians, Jesus is the shepherd who has laid down His life for all of God's people. Jesus is the Good Shepherd in Name, word and deed. Jesus lived into the life of a shepherd in His death and resurrection. The center of God's action on our behalf is love. The love of God for all of us was poured into the Incarnate Word who is Jesus, and from Him we receive the grace to love one another.
The image of Jesus as a Shepherd has been badly tarnished by those who use the Name of Jesus to justify discrimination by way of rhetoric and political maneuvering for the sole purpose of raising up wealthy enterprises. The Name of Jesus as the true Shepherd is nothing more than an excuse to spread misinformation about women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, the sick and poor. Such misinformation leads to encouraging violence and oppression that discourages people from believing in Christians as nothing more than a group of irrational religious people. Such individuals who lead groups like the National Organization for Marriage, The Family Research Council, The American Family Association and others like them, only speak for a specific group of Christians. They do not represent who Jesus Christ is and what He is about. They do not speak for all Christians. The same can be said for those who deny the reality of climate change, workers rights, and affordable health care for every person.
As Christians who are baptized into a tradition that values the dignity of every human being, we are also responsible for representing the image of Jesus Christ the true Good Shepherd. We are followers of the Jesus who cared deeply about the marginalized, and sought to include them among all of God's people. Jesus made room for the sick, lonely, the dead, women, and many more. Jesus resisted the type of culture that wanted one group of people to dominate another. In Jesus our Good Shepherd, God valued each person and by the Holy Spirit empowers us to do the same. As Jesus is our example, so we need to pray for the clarity to follow our Good Shepherd to do as He did.
Amen.
Prayers
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people;
Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who
calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with
you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, The Book of Common Prayer, p.225).
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, The Book of Common Prayer, p.823).
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