Shepherds

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:1-10)

Little Bo Peep was a shepherd of sheep, so says the famous nursery rhyme.  After giving a past homily about sheep and Jesus, I was approached by a generous and thoughtful lady  who presented me with this plate as a reminder of what I said.  It has remained my reminder of all the rhyme’s words most of us never recall.  They are:

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and doesn’t know where to find them. Leave them alone and they’ll come home, bringing their tails behind them.

Little Bo Peep fell fast asleep and dreamt she heard them bleating. But when she awoke, she found it a joke, for they were all still fleeting.

Then up she took her little crook determined for to find them. She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, for they left their tails behind them.

It happened one day, as Bo peep did stray into a meadow hard by. There she espied their tails side by side all hung on a tree to dry. She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, and over the hillocks went rambling. And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should. (end)

Seems a bit gruesome, those cut off tails hung on a tree to dry.  In contrast, Jesus, our shepherd, was hung on a tree to “dry” in the sun.  His heart bled for us.

Bo Peep’s sheep strayed and suffered the loss of their tails because she fell asleep.  Today’s reading reminds us that we are surrounded by potential thieves and robbers who would rob us of our faith and tempt us to do wrongs, such as lie and betray those close to us and our friends.  They would have us “steal and slaughter and destroy.”  When this happens, let’s recognize Jesus’ voice, remain awake, and pass through his gate where we are sheltered and protected – where we find pasture.

Deacon David Pierce