This week is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. The Gospel focuses on Jesus as the good shepherd and the gate to safe pastures. Shepherds would sleep at the entrance of the pen where the sheep were kept to be sure that they did not wander in the night, or that a predator would not get into the flock. The image of a shepherd is used in the Old Testament as well as an image for the spiritual and civil leaders of Israel. King David was a shepherd boy when he was chosen as king.

 First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:14a, 36-41

Peter continues with his first sermon on Pentecost. He speaks with and for the Eleven, who were the inner circle of disciples. He is the primary person in the first half of the Acts of the Apostles, just as Paul receives the most concentration in the second half of the work. The address was intended for the Church in the coming generations and in far away places. His address was “to your children and to all those far off.”

The Crucifixion of Jesus was not for the condemnation of the “whole house of Israel.” It was to bring about repentance. God still calls them, too. They did not lose their invitation to salvation. Recent pronouncements about the Jewish people from the teaching authority of the Church have recognized the unique relationship that Judaism has with God.

The exhortation of Peter is successful. “Three thousand persons were added that day.” An ideal image of the Christian community follows this sermon and large-scaled conversion. A spirit-filled message brings about a change in those who hear it.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20b-25

In this section of the letter, the author gives advice to living in a world that poses obstacles to the Christian life. The hearer is urged to be faithful to the model of life that Jesus demonstrated, despite the role of suffering that it entails. Stay focused on the mission!

The initiative comes from God. God calls. God also provides a model in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The model is to trust in the plan of God to overcome the effects of evil, not just the suffering. The suffering proves the importance of the goal of salvation. Jesus handed Himself over “to the One who judges justly.”

It was the unjust judgment that caused the suffering. But it was the commitment to follow through on the plan of God that led to the Resurrection and opened new possibilities for those who follow after him.

The author quotes Isaiah 53:9 from the fourth Servant Song in of Deutero-Isaiah (Is 52:13 - 53:12). He interprets the rest of this Isaian passage by drawing out the image of the sacrificial lamb. He then reapplies the image of the sheep to the people. God is their “shepherd and guardian.”

Their suffering and sacrifice is not fruitless.

Gospel: John 10:1-10

First of all, whenever you hear Jesus speak the double, “Amen, Amen …,” it is from the Gospel of John. It is an affirmation and emphasis on a proclamation. Jesus uses an image to provide his identity to the Pharisees. The image of the Good Shepherd reflects the same image in Ezekiel 34, where God, as the good shepherd, is contrasted with the abusive human leaders of his people. They were the bad shepherds. (This chapter from Ezekiel is also the reading for the Jewish Feast of Dedication.) The coming in and the going out may refer to the future missionary activity of the Church.

John often used Jewish festivals as a context for the works and sayings of Jesus. He gave them a new twist. Based on the imagery contained in the surrounding chapters, several scholars believe that this event took place during the Feast of Dedication. It celebrated the successful Maccabean revolution to retake control of the nation and rededicate the Temple for worship.

The shepherd and the gate, images for Jesus and his concern for his people, is contrasted with “thieves and robbers.” (The double reference is also found in Obadiah 5.)

The Pharisees, who refused to recognize the importance of Jesus’ sign of the man born blind in the preceding chapter, did not recognize his accusation, this “figure of speech,” which Jesus laid against them.

I was pastor of a parish with a school. We were always looking for ways to increase our income to support the school.

When the pastor of our neighboring parish was about to retire, I had a great idea! We could merge with that small parish, which had been cut out of our parish years ago. That would increase our weekly offertory income. We offered many more and better programs for the people, than this other parish.

I went to Bishop Walter J. Schoenherr, our regional bishop, with this tremendous plan. He smiled and gave me a real lesson in being the Good Shepherd. He told me that these small parishes with few programs served both the people, who wanted nothing more, and the pastor, who may not be able to handle a hyperactive parish because of ability or deteriorating health. People could always choose where they wanted to go.

I was the mercenary, who saw a monetary advantage to support the finances of our parish and school. Bishop Schoenherr saw a service to the People of God and his loyal pastors.

Who was the Good Pastor? I still had much to learn in following in the footsteps of the one Pastor of us all!

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.