Imagine yourself as an astronaut, walking outside your spacecraft, attached so you won’t drift off, watching the earth spin in awesome beauty. Your mission is now finished and your air reserve is almost depleted. You reach for the hatch to open the door but there is none there. Alarmed, you scour the bolted surface but the door you came out is gone. Suddenly, a new and unseen door is thrown open and you are pulled in to safety. The one who threw open the unseen door becomes for you the gate to life.
Usually we don’t give much thought to doors or gates. We expect them to allow us to enter and leave when we want but sometimes they are locked or the handle is hidden from sight, preventing us from passing through to the other side.While we usually think of Jesus as the good shepherd, in this gospel, he also compares himself to a door when he tells his listeners, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” As our door to God, Jesus pulls us to safety out of the cold dark world of sin into the warmth and light of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.
Granted, comparing ourselves to sheep may not seem so flattering, given that we think of them as mindless followers, but the fact is, we are followers. Jesus uses sheep as a metaphor here because he is observant of sheep’s ability to follow the voice of the one they recognize and trust instead of a stranger who could lead them astray.
There is much being said about straying and getting lost in today’s readings. In the first reading, Peter cautions his listeners “Save yourself from this generation which has gone astray.” He could be speaking to us here and now. In the second reading, he observes, “At one time you had gone astray like lost sheep, but you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”
We listen to Jesus for we know that the wisdom he offers us will render a quality of life that promises hope and joy in this lifetime and the next. He is the one we trust to bring us home to God. Still, it is hard to hear the voice of Jesus when so many voices are speaking at once. The bottom line is this: be selective about who you are listening to. There are many out there whom Jesus called thieves who seek to destroy so are you listening to the voice of the good shepherd?
A sheepfold is a circular pen with an opening at one end to contain sheep belonging to more than one shepherd. A shepherd would serve as the gate. Whenever a sheep tries to leave or a wolf tries to enter, they would have to first get past the shepherd himself.
Imagine yourself being in a sheepfold right now by virtue of your birth. At times you may be tempted to think the grass is greener on the other side and some other shepherd may endeavor to lure you through the gate, leading you astray just as Peter cautions, but so long as you listen to the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd, you remain safe. But there comes a point when that gate becomes the threshold to heaven. When you take your last breath, will the good shepherd then call you by name and let you through the gate to go to greener pastures?
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus again presents himself as a gate, telling his disciples that he will separate all the nations like a shepherd separates sheep from the goats. He commends the sheep, telling them, “As you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.”
Those of us committed to following Jesus not only listen to him but also commit ourselves to sharing the good news with others. The Catholic Church in western Washington brings the message of Christ to many through services that touch their lives. More than half of the financial support for making these programs possible comes from folks like you who support the Annual Catholic Appeal.
When you contribute, you enable the Church to share its message of hope with the least of his brethren who live with physical, mental or emotional challenges. You assist the homeless in need of transient or low-income housing. You provide a future full of hope to children in our schools. You bring Christ’s message of joy to retired priests and religious who have served us throughout the Archdiocese. You enable today’s seminarians to become tomorrow’s priests.
You likely received a letter from Archbishop Sartain a few weeks ago that described some of these programs. The goal this year is to raise $11 million to fund them. Our goal is $42.8 K. Last year we exceeded our parish goal and used the rebate to restore our stained glass windows. This yearwe plan to use our rebate to pave the parking lot.
There are numerous ways you can make your pledge; filling out an envelope, going on line as I did, or scanning the QR code with your phone. Your gift can be paid over time or as a one-time payment. For most of us, a dollar a day is loose change, so consider donating $365 over a ten-month span as I did. If for whatever reason you cannot offer a gift, at least complete a card and offer us the gift of your prayers.
Thank you for your support of the Annual Appeal. You are helping many throughout Western Washington to experience the love of God in countless ways.