The Shepherd is the Lamb.
That's the great mystery revealed to us in the readings today: the Lord who is the victor, the ruler, our savior is the one who lowered himself to the bottom. The Lord who will come again in glory at the end of time is the one who bled to death on a cross as a sacrifice.
That whole concept has been an issue for the Church from the beginning. How can you worship someone who died? How can you claim that this man who ate and drank like any of us to be the God of the universe?
It is quite a claim, but it gets to the heart of who Jesus is and how we are to be his followers.
In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas are preaching in Antioch. Following their usual procedure, they start in the synagogue - preaching about Jesus to the Jews, the people to whom God first revealed himself.
Their preaching is so popular that, on the next sabbath, the whole city gathers to hear them. It's this popularity that causes those who don't believe to attack them and stir up persecution. So Paul and Barnabas leave Antioch - but they don't do it defeated. The don't leave saying, "Wow. I guess the Gospel won't spread. People don't want to hear it. We've failed." As Luke writes, they "were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."
They move on in confidence and joy because they know that Jesus himself had suffered before them. The Shepherd who guides them is the Lamb who gave up his life for them.
In the reading from the Book of Revelation the huge crowd of people from every nation are standing before God's throne. They are there in glory because they have gone through the "time of great distress." They've been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. Their sufferings were given meaning and purpose because they followed the Shepherd who suffered for them.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd not because he shows us some easy path through life, one without suffering or trouble - there is no such path. We will all encounter failure and hurt and suffering.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd because he lives with his sheep. He suffers for them and he suffers with them.
After one of the craziest weeks that probably many of us can remember, it's important to remember that a relationship with God doesn't mean an exemption from suffering, but it takes our suffering and gives it meaning.
Like Jesus we can choose love - no matter what the circumstances.
We can look for ways to give ourselves to the people in our lives. We can follow Jesus' example of being a servant to all - of putting others before ourselves.
This weekend we also observe the World Day of Prayer for Vocations - a time to turn to The Lord and ask, "How are you calling me to serve? How are you calling me to lay down my life for You and my neighbor?" For some of the young men and women here, that calling may lead them to the priesthood or religious life.
To all of you who are still in school: make sure you take the time to listen for God's calling. He may have a plan to use you as a sister or a priest that will change the world. Even if it's not the "normal" path the world expects of you, give it a chance. I can say from my own experience that if God calls you to it, He will give you joy and fulfillment that you can't imagine.
We will never fully understand how low God has stooped to be with us - how far he has lowered himself so that we can know him and love him.
What we can do is follow his example of selflessness and trust that the Lamb who died for us will shepherd us to eternal life with him.
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