This image tells us that our God loves us and cares for us and journeys with us as we travel through the valleys and hills of our lives. But too, it may well speak to us of what we are called to be...in Christ’s image...”good shepherds” of the lost and vulnerable, the poor and the forsaken. That we are called to go after them, to reach out to the marginalized and the ones our society dismisses or demeans or outright abuses. Good shepherds actively work for true racial justice and an end to white supremacy. Good shepherds seek to be allies to the oppressed and the marginalized, to all people of color and the immigrant and the refugee.
I think we should all be writing all the members of the senate demanding they pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act... this is one way we can live out our discipleship of the Good Shepherd, crying out for a more just society by more just policing!
And as we celebrated Earth Day this past week we recognize that truly “good shepherds” also recognize the importance of creation and our environment, for their sheep depend on a healthy ecosystem. So as “good shepherds” we are also called to care for creation, to be aware of how our lives impact the earth and the lives of others, especially the poor.
How am I being called to be a “good shepherd” in my family, in my school or place of work, in my community, in my nation, in the wider world? What am I willing to risk “as a good shepherd” for the sake of the flock...for the sake of creation...for the sake of building up of the Reign of God?
Easter Blessings,
Fr. Tim