May 15th, 2011: Gospel Reflection II

The Good Shepherd

John 10:1-10

One of our 1^st grade catechists shared that a few weeks ago when the 1^st graders were practicing the Our Father prayer some of the kids were confused and prayed ‘my kingdom come, my will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. An honest mistake of a child who is practicing the prayer, but it carries more truth than we might want to admit. We tend to ask God that our will be done, not His. This is goat thinking. Goats are notorious for being difficult to guide and not very good at flocking together and following. This is why Jesus uses the analogy of separating the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25. We are called to be sheep and to follow our Good Shepard.

In today’s Gospel Jesus says that he is the gate through which the sheep walk through into the sheepfold (a place where sheep were safe at night). Each of us longs for peace and safety. Instead of trying to make it ourselves like goats why don’t we try on some wool and to let the Good Shepard lead us through the gate, keep us safe, and when we do go astray, know that He will leave the 99 behind to seek after each one of us who is lost. This is what it means to have abundant life…but this message doesn’t sell as many iPads.

 

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”