In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd." But that’s not the end of
the story. He calls us to be good shepherds as well.
In preparing for this homily I researched what it meant to
be a good shepherd back in Jesus' time. And I came away with great respect
for shepherds. Sheep are innocent and lovable creatures,
but without a good shepherd they are totally defenseless. They are at
the mercy of wild animals, storms and robbers.
The vocation of being a shepherd was something very special. They were
sometimes called to risk their own lives to protect their sheep. In
the book of Samuel in the Old Testament, King David, as a young
shepherd boy, fought off a bear and a lion to protect the family
flock. To be a good shepherd was to be a loving and courageous human
being.
In my ministry as a hospital chaplain for our brothers
and sisters who suffer with anxiety, depression and addiction, I
often reflect on Psalm 23. In it the Psalm writer, who we believe to be
King David, says, “The Lord is my
shepherd.”
I always focus on one line in particular: “You
anoint my head with oil.” And I explain how in ancient times, and even
still today, shepherds rub oil on the heads of their sheep to give them
peace and comfort. This is necessary because when a large number of sheep are
together, these little microscopic insects, these little gnats, are
attracted by the smell of wool. They buzz around the heads and
torment these poor sheep that are helpless to swat them away. The
shepherd anoints the head of each sheep and rubs in this special oil. The
fragrance repels and drives away the insects leaving the sheep in peace.
I tell my hospital friends that we are like those sheep. Only
instead of insects buzzing around us, we sometimes
have negative thoughts that buzz inside our heads. They are the
anxieties and guilt and anger, the obsessions and compulsions that we carry.
They can lead us into depression or addiction, into loneliness and
self-alienation.
But just like those good Mediterranean shepherds who anoint
the heads of their sheep, our loving God anoints our human heads with the oil
of his love and forgiveness to free us from the thoughts that torment
us.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. But that’s not the end of the
story. We are called to be more than helpless, passive sheep. We are
called to be active good shepherds as well.
As we continue our journey through this Easter season, let us resolve to be good
shepherds for all our sisters and brothers – without
exception - and to anoint them with the oil of our love and compassion,
our forgiveness and inclusion.
4th
Sunday of Easter, Cycle B
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Readers
of this blog might enjoy these books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on
Amazon.com:
Just to Follow My Friend: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday
Life
Synchronicity as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for
Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry
http://www.amazon.com/Synchronicity-Work-Holy-Spirit-Spiritual/dp/1463518781/
