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Am I A Good Shepherd?
May
3
Written by:
Sunday, May 03, 2009
4th Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2009
This is good shepherd Sunday, and every year when we hear this gospel, it seems obvious that Jesus is the shepherd, and we are the sheep! But – wait a minute – am I not supposed to be a good shepherd, too? How am I supposed to do that?
Jesus uses a certain turn of phrase over and over in this gospel (John 10:11-18): "A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep;" "I will lay down my life for the sheep;" "this is why the father loves me, that I lay down my life in order to take it up again;" "I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again." What does it mean to "lay down your life" for someone else?
When I went to Loyola Marymount University, I belonged to a Catholic Charismatic Christian community. This phrase was used quite frequently among us, but seldom among Catholics at large. We are all called to imitate Christ the Good Shepherd in "laying down our life" daily: to lay down our own selfishness, our own ego, and our own need to have everything our way. "Laying down one's life" on a daily basis means, quite simply, making a self-sacrifice for the good of someone else.
The opportunity to make a spectacular offering of one's life for someone else is rather rare. Many parishioners will remember me saying that a few years ago an anonymous stranger tackled me to prevent my being run over when I was not paying attention! He could have been killed himself. Others have donated organs for loved ones or like Saint Maximillian Kolbe, given their lives in exchange for someone else.
These examples are exceptional. But we have many daily opportunities to practice this virtue. When I sacrifice myself to care for a sick loved one, often at great inconvenience, I have laid down my life for that person. When the time of service is over, we take up our life again, but we are not the same anymore. We have changed: we have become more like Christ.
Other examples abound: letting someone in on the freeway; allowing another with only a few items to go in front of you in line at the store; not saying anything when someone else wishes to watch a different movie than you do; eating what you are given even if you don't like it; being faithful to your time of prayer even when you are struggling; being a good listener when you are not particularly interested. This list is endless. Every time we make one of these acts of self-sacrifice for God or someone else, we grow in holiness, because we grow more like Christ, and these are things that will last forever!
Father Gary
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