Christ the Good Shepherd (Mark Yr B)

Coyote Story

Wolves hunting are beautiful. They hunt in a pack. Ever see those nature shows? Mention Ricky at the nine. They catch the big moose that they separate from the herd and you’re like “No get out of there Moose!” But then deep deep inside we’re like… “But get em, get em.”

Why Christ compares the devil to a wolf is interesting, because the Devil is alone, and all the devils under him are only united in their hate of God, and hate each other, which is why they prefer being on earth to Hell. What a great analogy!

The wolf comes in the Gospel and he catches/snatches and scatters.

Sheep on the other hand are gentle and relational animals. They can’t exist on their own which is why their curious nature can get them into trouble.

The other day I was coming to daily Mass a couple minutes later than I would’ve liked, and someone informs me, “Father, there’s a coyote!”

See here in Murrieta we don’t have wolves, but coyotes, but it was alone, 1 coyote, no worries, unless you’re the size of a rabbit.

I should’ve responded, “The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep!”

But I was late so I just ran over here to the Church and nothing happened, but he’s still lurking around out there, you’re lucky I even came in today…

I AM

The Good Shepherd

Shepherd’s weren’t a very respected genre of people. They were rough and not renowned. They smelled, talked to their animals, Got in the way, like tractors do in Winchester ;-) Because of the sheep’s large herding instinct, one shepherd can handle a large group of them.

Interesting choice for the Angels at Christmas to appear first to shepherds…maybe they were the only ones awake at that hour!?!

Ez 34 - A Shepherd who would be both David and God

Ezekiel 34:8–10 (NABRE)

As I live—oracle of the Lord God—because my sheep became plunder, because my sheep became food for wild beasts, for lack of a shepherd, because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves … Thus says the Lord God: Look! I am coming against these shepherds. I will take my sheep out of their hand and put a stop to their shepherding …

Ezekiel 34:11 NABRE

For thus says the Lord God: Look! I myself will search for my sheep and examine them.

Ezekiel 34:14 NABRE

In good pastures I will pasture them; on the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down on good grazing ground; in rich pastures they will be pastured on the mountains of Israel.

Mark 6

39 So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass

Ezekiel 34:23 NABRE

I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd.

Who is this shepherd?…God?…. David?…Both?!

To Lay Down (4 x’s)

Why is this the image? The shepherd lays down his life…The Father loves me because I lay down my life…No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own, I have that power to lay it down…

But for sheep? You’re God

Image of Christ in the catacombs

Remembering Thomas Vander Woude's sacrifice

Thomas VanDerwoude, 66, went in after his 20-year-old son, Josie, to rescue him when he fell into the septic tank at the family's home in Nokesville, Va, September 8, 2008

We can understand Mr Thomas Vander Woude doing such a thing, but Christ doing it for us? He’s God, He can lay down his life when He chooses. At the end of ch. 10 v39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power Jn 10:39.

A shepherd who dies for his sheep

A Man who can lay down his life and take it up? Only by God’s power can someone come back…but He can do it Himself?!

Acts 2:24 (NABRE)

But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.

Acts 4:8–10 Today’s Reading says:

If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed.

That God cares for the Cripple and the nobody gives me great hope

My friend told me yesterday, “That God called uneducated men to lead his Church gives me so much hope!”

That God has a heart for the ugly, the unwanted, the smelly, the noisy, the annoying, and laid his life down?! And took it up again…

1 John 3:2 NABRE

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Mr VanderWoude saved his son with Down Syndrome because He believed in the resurrection from the dead!

When Him and his son Josie (And his six other sons) and his wife meet again in heaven, there won’t be any more Downs Syndrome, or death, or heartache, or septic tanks.. for we will be like Christ, and we will see him as he is.

He gives us sheep the opportunity to share in His command, but His very being.

To Know (4x’s)

and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; - Jn 10:15

In the same way?!

As the Father Loves me so I have loved you Jn 15:9

You have the ability to know Christ, and to love like Him, because He has known you and loved you first.

One

But this story has some scandal, its scandalous for Jesus to Call Himself God. John 10:29-30

John 10:29–30 NABRE

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Its scandalous to the Devil that He is going the share His God Nature with us. Maybe this is why Satan revolted, Non Serviam!

He doesn’t just want us to be nice to one another, but to be of the same flock. That’s why its so hurtful when someone leaves the Church, and then wonders why we make such a big deal about it. People break communion and then look at us like we’re the weirdos.

There’s One Church, One Temple, if you will with Christ as the Keystone.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Ps 118:22

Everyone has to choose to be part of the flock, at some point, the body of Christ. We can’t force people in, And Jesus doesn’t force us to stay, but Nobody, Satan, nobody! can take us from Christ’s hand. The Father and the Son are one in the Holy Spirit. The wolf came to scatter the flock and make us un-one, many, like himself, “We are Legion” Divided against others and within themselves.

And there are thousands of denominations and little individual churches, and Protestants and Orthodox and Nondoms and other off shoots, and there were Judeans and Samarians and Gentiles then. We feel more divided than ever. You my little ones in the church of Murrieta, you remain in the flock, let the Shepherd go call his other sheep that do not belong to this fold. Eyes on Christ, Ears on Christ, Minds on Christ, go wherever He says, but wherever you go, you go as a Catholic, we are herd animals, One Church, One Faith, One Eucharist.