3rd Easter
John 10: 1-21
“Yes, the
truth I say to you: Anyone who does not go into the sheep through the door, but
breaks into the fold elsewhere, he is a thief or robber. Only he who enters by
the door is a shepherd of the sheep.
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep respond to his voice. He
calls each one by name, according to its nature, and he leads them out into the
open.
When he has brought them out, he walks before them, and the sheep follow
after him, for they trust his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but
rather flee, because they do not know the stranger’s voice.”
Thus did Jesus reveal himself to them in pictures, but they did not
understand what he was saying to them.
Then Jesus went on. “Yes, the truth out of the spirit I say to you. I AM
the door to the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the
sheep did not listen to them.
I AM the door. Anyone who enters through me will find healing and life.
He learns to cross the threshold from here to beyond, and from there to here,
and he will find nourishment for his soul. The thief comes only to steal, and
kill and destroy. But I – I have come that they may have life, and overflowing
abundance.
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. He who works for wages, and who is no true shepherd, whose sheep are not
his own, he sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep, and flees while the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. For he is only a hireling and he cares nothing
for the sheep.
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. I know who belongs to me, and my own recognize
me, just as my Father recognizes me in the depths, and I know the being of the
Father; and I offer my life for the sheep.
Other sheep have been entrusted to me who are not of this fold; I must
also lead them. They too will listen to my voice, and one day there will be one
flock, one Shepherd.
That is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may
take it up anew. No one can take it from me.
But in full freedom I myself offer it up. I have the power to give it
away and also the power to receive it anew. That is the task given to me by my
Father.”
Then there again arose a division among the people because of these
words. Many of them said, “He is possessed by a demon and is out of his mind.
Why do you listen to him?” Yet others said, “These are not the words of one who
is possessed. After all, can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
3rd Easter
April 22, 2012
 |
| Holman Hunt |
John 10: 1-21
Some places have a person stationed at the door. They give a
friendly greeting to whoever belongs there. And if necessary, they keep out the
undesirable elements, or at least keep an eye on them.
We ourselves also have a gatekeeper. It is positioned at the
boundaries of our selves. It helps us distinguish ‘me’ from ‘not me’. It
decides if those who want to enter our lives, our souls, are there for a
legitimate purpose, or whether they are ‘thieves and robbers’, that is, those
who would steal our treasures: our time, our energy, our resources. A strong
and discerning gatekeeper is not long deceived by appearances or empty promises.
This gatekeeper is our ‘I’, our Self. Its task is to pay
attention, and to make decisions. But sometimes it is distracted, or just plain
asleep on the job. And as we all know, its decisions are fallible.
Christ is humankind’s Greater Self. He has nothing but our
own truly best interests in mind. He models how all respectful human beings
should interact: ‘Here I am, he says. I
stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in….’ Rev. 3:20
His voice resonates in the deepest part of our being. And he
waits respectfully for us to pay attention, and to decide to open. And when we
do, he says ‘I will come in… and eat with that person, and they with me.’ He
brings our souls guidance, nourishment and strength. He is the great gatekeeper
,watching out for us, guiding us all.
