Jn 10: 11-18
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Stay close to the shepherd
Sparky, the sheep, lifted his head from grazing and was shocked to see a wolf staring right at him from 50 feet away. Terrified, Sparky started running in circles.
“Shoo,” shouted Samantha the shepherd, as she approached, waving her staff. The wolf scampered back into the woods.
“What are you doing out here, Sparky?” Samantha asked as she reached down to comfort the shuddering sheep. “Let’s get you back to the rest of the flock.”
Sometimes failure, despair, hatred, and fear are like wolves staring us down from 50 feet away. But they are no match for Jesus. Like the good shepherd, Jesus keeps an eye on us and chases away anything that threatens us. We do well to stay close to the shepherd.
—Fr. Dan Daly, SJ, is the treasurer of the USA Central and Southern Province of Jesuits and creator of the YouTube channel Bible Character Sampler.
Prayer
Jesus, you are the good shepherd, and we depend upon your protection. Please keep your eye on us and defend us against any evil, hatred, or fear that might attack. Give us the grace to stay close to you in times of trouble. Amen.
—Fr. Dan Daly, SJ