Good Shepherd Sunday

Although we celebrate today Good Shepherd Sunday, we actually read those verses from the Gospel of John tomorrow, Monday of the 4^th week of Easter. Today on this 4^th Sunday of Easter John gives us the introduction; an image of Jesus as the “Gate”.

Our driveway is on the side of our house and curves around back to the garage. At the point where you pass the house there is a gate.  Four feet high and chain linked it is original to the house.  Many times we have thought of replacing it with an electric gate, but of course something else always was needed.  And I’m glad.  When our girls were young and we would come and go each day, opening and closing the gate was a coveted activity (you also got to sit in the front seat of the car). Jerry’s parents also had a gate on their property in Aledo; one large enough that you could ride on it as  it swung open.  But I always realized when the gate closed and we were all tucked inside the house we were in a place where we were known and loved.  Safe. Children with their shepherds.

But let me tell you, as a knitter, I know sheep.  They are stinky and dumb; helpless at times; tend to wander away; roaming on the hillside.  They make choices that are not always in their best interest. As we will hear tomorrow the Shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep knows the Shepherd because they know his name. Like a child knowing the voice of its mother, the Shepherd protects them, carries them.

The Gate is our protection from those that would lead us away from the Shepherd. Giving us security it is laced with love.  We are summoned and enter through it for just that reason.  This Sunday we will again enter into our church after weeks of absence.  We will open the doors, the Gate.  We will sit in the quiet before the doors  of the Tabernacle (Gate) and watch Eucharist be brought forward.  We will receive Our Shepherd and once again remember his voice.

Of our seven grandchildren, five are old enough to now open the gate.  They too are learning what is means to be gathered in to the sheepfold and hear his voice.