Are We Listening to The Good Shepherd?
Gospel Reflection - Monday, April 27th
Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why 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 on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”
— John 10:11-18
In today’s Gospel Jesus makes it very clear what kind of leader He is: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” That is the opposite of a hireling, someone who may manage sheep for pay, but who won’t stay when it costs him something.
Jesus’ point isn’t only that He will dies for you; it’s that He loves you because you’re His, in a way that actually endures risk and inconvenience for your wellbeing. Christ’s model of leadership is completely revolutionary, even today: how many leaders are truly ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of those who follow them?
This passage presents us with a good opportunity to ask ourselves whether or not we are following Christ’s voice and example: are we running when it gets inconvenient, or looking for the “safe” path that avoids sacrifice? Are we listening to His voice and letting Him guide us or are we acting stubbornly and pridefully?
If you find that you are not acting like you should, try this week to listen more closely to His voice, by seeking silence, by spending time with Christ in adoration, and by praying and asking for Him to illuminate you.
May we all learn to listen to the good shepherd, to Christ Our Lord, so we can follow Him more faithfully and join Him in eternity.
In Christ,
Juan — Simple Man
Thank you for reading, and God bless you!
If you liked this reflection and would like to read weekly articles on faith and masculinity, check out my blog and subscribe here:
Great message.
We are called to learn to recognize the voice of Christ. We do this by reading and hearing scripture, by contemplative prayer, and in silent adoration of the Eucharist. In John 10:27 we hear Jesus say, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” We are to come to recognize His voice in the same way that infants learn to recognize their mother’s face. Let it be the first thing you hear when you wake up, the last thing you hear when you go to sleep, and the thing you hear most often throughout the day. Being reborn as spiritual infants is to great advantage in this regard.
Very beautiful.