Fourth Sunday of Easter (Sunday April 29, 2012)

Jesus says, "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."  A common practice among shepherds that are good vs. a hired hand that just collects a salary, is that danger does not concern them when it comes to protecting the sheep.  A shepherd would often sleep where there was a gap in the fence to prevent a sheep from crossing out of the fence into danger. 

We know Jesus was talking in regards to the crucifixion when he said he would lay down his life for the sheep.  What do the sheep do to deserve such protection?  The fur that comes from the sheep is used to make clothing and various other items.  Now, consider how the sheep are innocent and how they do not harm anyone.  I believe they have every right to be protected especially seeing that they are harmless and only provide help in the form of their bounty. 

What about you and I?  We harm one another and do not always act like God wants us to.  We enslave one another in various forms and we still expect protection which we do not deserve.  When one of the flock of Christ goes astray Jesus will nudge us back into line with whatever is fitting at the time.  It has been said that, "Sometimes the only way for the Lord to enter our hearts is to break them" (Archbishop Fulton Sheen).  As Episcopalians we don't often want to think of God, or of his Son, breaking our hearts, but in reality sometimes he does. 

Would it make you think any less of our Father for doing so?  It shouldn't as he is always there waiting to bring us back into the fold no matter how far astray we go.  Sometimes breaking our hearts may be the only humane thing to do to avoid physical harm.  In this realm of life we are all but infants in regards to our will and that of God.  To obtain a mental image of this truth think back to your childhood.  Do you remember when you would do something like touch the stove and you were scolded, or perhaps your hands were pushed away?  It either broke your heart, or you were rebellious and considered it humorous to continue. 

If you had not been warned and you remembered that then you probably wouldn't think so fondly of the incident.  If you play with fire you will eventually be burned.  Sometimes when God trust to correct us, or show us His will, we want to get angry and we are so bothered by the notion that we have a boss.  However, when things work out it is so easy to praise.  Isn't the sacrifice of Christ enough?  If God did nothing else for us our whole lives  we have already been given grace which will see us through that we could not obtain on our own. 

We will all struggle with our faith and the questions life can pose, but lean on faith.  Jesus goes on to say, "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 if 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."  Can you believe Jesus includes those stubborn among us (or our unwillingness to listen to the concerns of the other faithful because it makes us uncomfortable)?  It is refreshing to use this insight our Lord gives when recalling the early history of our Anglican roots in which we were to become a unified body with differing opinions where we can come to corporate worship and value one another and partake in the Holy Sacraments.  "God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything... the Spirit he has given us." (I John 3:16-24).  For this and all things, Thanks be to God.

COLLECT:

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.

Pray especially for:

John Cunningham, Betty Stenger, Terese Gluck, Rose Mauzy, David Garber, Pete Walburg, Ella Lane, Sara Pace, Bill Gardner, Katie Armstrong, the Heaton family, Lisa McNelly, Jimmy Milas, and Pete Stanish.

(1st Reading Acts 4:5-12, Psalm 23, 2nd Reading I John 3:16-24, Gospel John 10:11-18)