This Sunday’s readings include the beautiful and iconic 23rd psalm – “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
Until recently I was not well acquainted with the psalms. However, I do recall two encounters with the 23rd psalm. In the 1980 movie The Elephant Man the title character, Joseph Merrick, suffers severe deformation from a rare condition characterized by overgrowth of the bones, skin, and other tissues. In late 19th century Victorian England Merrick was the subject of freak show fascination. Merrick demonstrates his humanity to the surgeon who befriends him by the recitation of his favorite psalm.
In his society, Merrick was profoundly vulnerable, subject to exploitation and humiliation from the worst people of the day. It is small wonder he took solace in a Savior who, as the perfect Shepard, would lead him beside restful waters, spread a table before him, and anoint his head with oil.
The Mass card for my father’s funeral was the 23rd psalm. I recall the great solace I had, as countless others have had, in the lines “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Ps 23:6. Our Lord the Good Shepherd not only protects and guides us in this life. He prepares our eternal home of joy.
Jesus is the Gate
In John’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples how they must unlock the fruits of membership in His flock. It is not primarily a matter of doctrine or behavior, although these are important and have their place. The key imperative, the necessary condition, is a personal relationship with Jesus and acceptance of Him as Lord of your life. Jesus tells us that He is both the shepherd and the gate. It is no good trying to enter through a roundabout method. “Whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.” Jn 10:2 And “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” Jn 10:10
Everything else in the Christian life; the grace of the sacraments, the guidance of the magisterium, the zeal for social justice, all flow from acceptance of Jesus Christ as the gate to the sheepfold which is the Catholic Church.
The Shepherd is Also the Sacrifice
In a commentary on this section of John’s gospel, St. Augustine wrote “For Christ the Lord is a low gateway: he who enters by this gateway must humble himself, so that he will not bump his head.”
This is as true for us today as it was in the fourth century for St. Augustine. Accepting and following Jesus often puts us at odds with the prevailing trends of our society. In addition to peer pressure, our own inherited rebelliousness resists surrendering of our will.
God knew these factors would be at play in each one of us. This is why we needed the Incarnation. Entries from a Deity beyond our comprehension would not have been sufficient. But an omnipotent God who so overflowed with love that He became one of us – that arrests our attention. Even more – the perfect and sinless God Man was willing to suffer and die to redeem us. “He Himself bore our sins in His body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” 1 Pt 2:24
The Good Shepherd is not only the perfect guide and protector for this life. He lays down His life for us so that we can pick it up again with Him in paradise.
