As I prepared for this article, I was reminded of a story Fr. Bryon once shared with me many years ago about a woman and her beloved dog.
A woman read an article about the benefits of cod-liver oil for dogs. Wanting the best for her little friend, she went out and purchased the best cod-liver oil she could find. Every evening, she got down on the floor, pried open her dog’s mouth, and poured the oil down it’s throat. Of course, once the dog saw the bottle, it would try to escape her grasp. One evening, during the usual struggle, cod-liver oil spilled all over the floor. As the little the dog broke free, it returned to lick up the spilled oil. You see, it wasn’t the oil the dog was resisting, but rather, the method used to deliver it.
In our Gospel reading, Jesus referred to himself as the Good Shepherd. This is really one of my favorite images of Jesus because it captures the tenderness, the mercy, and the overwhelming love that God has for each one of us. Jesus does not force us to follow or use threats of damnation to gain our compliance, rather, Jesus gently invites us to trust and believe.
Early Christians were a diverse group, coming from every nation, race, people, and tongue. What inspired them to abandon their own traditions and become followers of Jesus, a persecuted minority? The power of love! They witnessed how God’s love transformed the lives of believers, and they were inspired to follow.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, offers us the same unconditional love that was offered to those early Christians. God promises to shelter us from the storms of life, to wipe away the tears from our eyes, to never abandon us, and to hold us closely to the loving heart of Jesus.
A good question for us to ponder this week is how we will respond to that love; how we can nurture our faith and follow Christ, our Good Shepherd, not only today, but for the rest of our lives.
May God bless you and your loved ones today, tomorrow, and forever more.
Fr. Harry