INTRODUCTION – (Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18) Last week in my introduction to the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles I spoke about how Peter and John healed a crippled beggar in the Temple. The healed man jumped up and down and was walking around which caused a great amount of commotion in the Temple. Those who were in the Temple at the time wanted to know what happened and how it had happened. Peter’s speech on that occasion was the first reading last week. Peter gave all the credit to the risen Jesus who had healed the man through the Apostles. Many of the Jewish religious leaders did not believe in the possibility of a resurrection. When they heard what was going on, they arrested Peter and John. They didn’t want to hear any more about Jesus who was a threat to their position. Today we hear a portion of Peter’s testimony before the Jewish court. Notice not only what Peter had to say about Jesus but also his boldness. The court didn’t know what to do with Peter and John for all the people in Jerusalem were excited and happy about the healing of the man who had been lame for over 40 years. So the court officials warned the Apostles not to talk about Jesus any more. The Apostles were not intimidated for they were now filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 4:8-12)

HOMILY – Two ladies from New York had always lived a pretty sheltered life. One day they decided to take a trip to England. While they were touring the countryside, the one said to the other: “Look at those white cows. I’ve never seen cows like that before.” The other replied: “Maybe they are albino. Or perhaps a special British type of cow.” The guy sitting behind them said: “Those cows are sheep.” Sheep are not as common a sight in the U.S. as they are in other countries – especially in the Middle East. On a trip several years ago, we saw a lot of sheep in Israel. Once or twice our tour bus had to stop for about five minutes or so as a very large flock of sheep crossed the road with their shepherd.

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it was one of the most beautiful sights was as I was coming down Mt. Sinai. It took, I think, about eight hours to climb up and as we were coming down we saw a shepherdess with her little flock of sheep scattered on a nearby mountain trying to find bits and pieces of vegetation on the barren rocks. As we watched this peaceful scene as the sun was going down, she got out her shepherds’ flute and started walking toward wherever she lived. As she played a little tune, the sheep all fell into line and followed her until they rounded a bend and were out of sight. Jesus says of the shepherd: “he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him.” (Jn 10:4) Because sheep were a major part of Jewish life, culture and economy, Jesus’ listeners could relate to what Jesus preached a lot more easily than we can.

What Jesus said about shepherds we would understand better by making comparisons with dedicated parents or security personnel such as the firemen and policemen and women who sacrificed their lives on 9/11 to save others.

One thing that will help us understand Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd is to look back in the Old Testament to the Book of Ezekiel. God condemned the kings and priests at the time of the prophet Ezekiel (almost 600 years before Christ), because they were leading people away from God and not closer to God – which they should have done. Ezekiel compared the Jewish leaders to shepherds who had no concern for the sheep, the people, but they used the people only to enrich themselves. Ezekiel tells these wicked leaders: “Thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. In good pastures will I pasture them. I
will give them rest, the lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal shepherding them rightly.” (Ezekiel 34:11)

Jesus is the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. He continues to guide us to eternal life, if we will follow him. We have all gone through those times when we don’t know where he’s taking us, perhaps many times. That's why he tells us to trust him.

I am reminded of a little story. A holy man took a trip to a town with which he was unfamiliar. He took with him a lamp, a rooster and a donkey. When he could not find a place to stay in the town, he went into the nearby woods to sleep. He lit his lamp to read the Scriptures, but a strong wind blew the lamp over and it broke. So he said, “all that God does, he does well” and fell asleep. During the night, wild animals chased away the rooster and thieves stole the donkey. When he woke as the sun came up, they were gone, yet the holy man said, “all that God does, he does well.” He then went back into the village to see if any rooms where he could stay had become available. When he got there he discovered enemy soldiers had been there during the night and killed everyone in the town. He also learned these enemy soldiers had traveled through the part of the woods where he was sleeping. Had his lamp not been broken, he would have been discovered. Had not the rooster been chased, it would have crowed, giving him away. Had not he donkey been stolen, it would have brayed. So once more the holy man declared: “All that God does, he does well.” We just have to be careful not to say that every bad thing that happens is God’s doing. People do bad things against God’s wise plan or against God’s laws out of ignorance or evil or for whatever reason. We have to remember what Paul said: “for those who love God, everything works out for the best.” Amen.