Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for May 7, 2017

The Young Christ as the Good Shepherd. Oil painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617–1682). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Every year, the Fourth Sunday of Easter comforts us with the image of God as our Good Shepherd, gathering up all humanity in protective divine love. That metaphor is implicit without being spelled out in Sunday’s first reading. We hear of the evolution of the young church as a caring flock, inspired by the Holy Spirit to become a loving, sharing community, taking care of each other as they gladly and generously share the good news of the Gospel with the world.

Psalm 23

Our Good Shepherd is always with us, comforting us and protecting us not only in the green pastures and still waters of good times, but also when we are fearful and afraid, walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Did you notice that we sang this Psalm just a few weeks ago, on the Fourth Sunday of Lent? Our Lectionary readings return to it often: Five times in every three years we hear its assurance that God’s goodness and mercy are always with us. When you’re feeling lonely and afraid, try sitting quietly with these verses. Breathe deeply and feel the the Shepherd’s comforting presence.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25

Prepare for a troubling surprise if you turn back and look at the verses just before this reading: This passage was written to slaves, demanding that they accept the authority of their masters, even if those masters treated them harshly. Nowadays we struggle with the idea of Bible verses that seem to support slavery; indeed, these and similar verses were once used to justify slavery as acceptable to God. Perhaps it’s best to hear these words as advice to all who suffer: Jesus suffered and died unfairly, even though he did no wrong. Like lost sheep, we suffer, but we know joy when we return to Christ, our shepherd and guardian.

Gospel: John 10:1-10

Hear these familiar verses in context: In the previous chapter, Jesus had been arguing with a group of Pharisees who were angry because he restored a blind man’s sight on the Sabbath. As the new chapter begins, Jesus draws a clear distinction between the good shepherd who cares for the sheep and thieves who break in to steal the sheep. Jesus himself is the gate to the sheepfold itself, he tells them; and the gatekeeper, the protective guardian whose familiar voice reassures the sheep, calling each by name. The gate opens to allow the protected ones to enter, then closes to bar those who would steal, kill, and destroy the beloved sheep. In the next verse after today’s reading, Jesus will declare, “‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”