May 3 |
|
|
Fourth Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Sunday Jn 10/27-30 |
||
| Background: There can be no reasonable doubt that the Shepherd metaphor dates to Jesus himself, though different conclusions are drawn from it be the various evangelists. It was a favorite metaphor in much of early Christian art. Perhaps it means less to us today because we do not live close to the fields and the flocks and think of sheep usually only when we're buying lamb chops or shivering at Dolly the cloned sheep. The image in today's Gospel may be closest to the original though John's Story is often heavily overlaid with theological reflections. Jesus takes care of his own. We are his own, even if like sheep, we are often not very bright, not very quick, not very perceptive. The Story today says that it doesn't matter Jesus will still take care of us. None will snatch us out of his hand. |
read the padre |
|
 |
Story: Once upon a time there was a sergeant in the marines who was the senior enlisted man in his platoon. One day his outfit was ambushed and pinned down by enemy fire. The lieutenant in command was badly wounded as were many of the men. The sergeant took over and extricated the men from the trap, though he himself was wounded twice. He went back by himself to carry out the wounded commanding officer. Miraculously every man in the platoon survived, even the wounded lieutenant. Later the men said that it were not for the incredible bravery of the sergeant they all would have been killed. He was always like a mother and a father to both of us. He was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but did not receive it. However, he did receive the DFC. He never wore the medal because he said the lives of his men were more important than any medal. Later when he had children of his own, he loved them like a mother as well as a father. His wife said that during the war he had learned how to be tender. Of course people spit on him when he came home and told him that it served him right that he had to limp all his life. |
|
