A GOOD SHEPHERD
BETTER THAN WE EVEN
THOUGHT
A Reflection Based on
Luke 15:3-7
Today's Gospel recounts Jesus' Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3–7). As I reflected on this familiar passage, it occurred to me that we have a Good Shepherd whose love and goodness are even greater than we sometimes realize.
If you were to ask someone what this parable is about, the answer would probably be straightforward: it is about the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep behind and searches for the one that has wandered away until he finds it. And while that is certainly true, a closer reading reveals that the parable is about so much more. Consider the five things the shepherd does:
1. He leaves the flock.
Despite what his fellow shepherds might think, despite the criticism he might endure, he does what others would consider unreasonable, perhaps even foolish. He does what others would not do. Leaving ninety-nine sheep behind to search for a single wandering sheep defies conventional wisdom. He risks the safety of the entire flock and perhaps even his reputation among his peers. Yet, in his mind and in his heart, there is no question: the one who is lost is worth the risk.
2. He searches tirelessly until he finds the lost sheep.
There are no guarantees. No assurances that his search will be successful. Nevertheless, he presses on, sacrificing his time and perhaps even his own safety as he navigates mountains, cliffs, and treacherous terrain. He searches with determination, but more than that, he searches with an almost frantic concern, driven by a love that refuses to surrender. He will not give up until the one who is lost is found.
3. Once he finds the sheep, he treats it with tenderness and affection.
What a beautiful and tender sight it must have been: the shepherd lifting the exhausted, frightened creature onto his shoulders, drawing it close to his neck, and carrying it to safety. There is no anger, no scolding, no expression of disappointment. There is simply the warmth of an embrace, the security of being carried, and the reassurance of a love that has never abandoned it.
4. He brings the sheep home.
The shepherd does not simply find the sheep and leave it where he discovers it. He takes responsibility for its well-being. He carries it home, restores it to safety, and reunites it with the rest of the flock. The mission is not complete merely because the sheep has been found. It is complete when the sheep has been brought home.
5. He celebrates!
And he does not celebrate alone. He invites his friends and neighbors to share in his happiness. He wants others to experience the joy that fills his heart. The recovery of the lost sheep is not merely a private victory; it is an occasion for communal rejoicing. What was lost has been found. What was separated has been reunited. And that is reason enough to celebrate!
These are the actions of the shepherd. And these are the actions of God whenever we are the ones who stray from Him.
But there is something more to this parable that we must not overlook. These are not simply the actions of God toward us; they must also become our actions toward one another. When a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a fellow parishioner wanders away, we are called to become the Good Shepherd in that person's life.
Jesus' purpose is not merely to reveal to us the heart of the Father. It is also to reveal how we are called to live. He shows us not only what God's love looks like, but what our love for one another must look like.
And so, those of us who sit in pews and those of us who stand behind pulpits, perhaps we should ask ourselves some difficult questions:
Do we have the courage to leave the flock?
Are we willing to do what might be unpopular, to reach out to someone who has strayed from what is right, good, moral, and virtuous? Are we willing to pursue that person and refuse to give up, even when others question our efforts, criticize our decisions, or suggest that our actions might compromise our reputation? Are we more concerned with what others might think of us or with the possibility of bringing someone back to God?
Are we willing to search tirelessly until we find?
Will we persevere through the obstacles, the disappointments, the frustrations, and the sacrifices of time, sweat, and tears? Will we continue even when there is absolutely no guarantee that our efforts will bear fruit? Do we believe that the lost sheep in our lives is worth that much? Do we love that person enough to keep searching?
What does our reconciliation look like?
Is it characterized by pointed fingers, disapproving glances, harsh words of correction, and constant reminders of past mistakes? Or is it expressed through words of compassion, gestures of tenderness, and genuine demonstrations of affection? When someone who has gone astray finally finds the courage to return, do we make that person feel welcomed, embraced, and loved? Do we offer the same tenderness that the shepherd offered his sheep?
Do we bring the one who was lost back home?
Do we make reconciliation a private, behind-closed-doors affair, or do we have the courage and generosity to welcome that person back into the larger family? Do we actively work to restore relationships and rebuild a sense of belonging? Do we strive to reunite the estranged with their families, their parish communities, and the people from whom they have become separated? Finding the lost sheep is only part of the mission. Bringing that sheep home is equally important.
And finally, do we celebrate?
Do we set the tone for others? Do we encourage those around us to put aside their negative opinions, their disappointments, their feelings of betrayal, and their prejudices? Do we invite them to share in our joy rather than dwell on the mistakes of the past? Do we help them see that the return of the one who was lost is not something to resent, but something to rejoice over? Do we invite them to make our reconciliation their reconciliation, and our joy their joy?
After all, the shepherd did not invite his neighbors to gather so that they could discuss why the sheep had wandered away, assign blame, or revisit its mistakes. He invited them to celebrate because what was lost had been found!
That is the heart of the Good Shepherd. And that must be our heart as well.
Jesus tells us, "Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect."
Perhaps, then, we might also hear in these words a very personal invitation:
Be a good shepherd, just as your Heavenly Father is a Good Shepherd!
Search for the lost. Never surrender. Carry them with tenderness. Bring them home. And when they return, celebrate!
For that is what God does for us. And that is precisely what we must learn to do for one another.
