Fourth Sunday of Easter

Me, A Shepherd?

Most of us think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. However, the Greek word for “good” (kilos) refers not so much to the characteristic of the shepherd but more to the shepherd who is “good at” shepherding. So what would that look like? Who is actually good at shepherding?

When Jesus meets his disciples in his resurrected state, he tells them that love for him means that they “feed his sheep” and “tend his lambs.” As we follow Jesus, then, that is also our command. What then is the work of caring for his lambs and sheep? To be good at shepherding is to be good at bringing others closer to God.

Who are the people in our lives who are good at shepherding? When, where and with whom are we ourselves good at shepherding? Today and this weekend we pray that we continue to be attentive to the guidance of the voice of the Good Shepherd and that we follow the example of Jesus in all that we do. And we ask God to bless all those who are the Good Shepherds, the ones good at shepherding us in our lives.