Fourth Sunday of Easter
For Charles Gladden, home is a makeshift bed on a sidewalk next to D.C.'s McPherson Square Metro Station. He sleeps with his shoes by his side, and a few blankets to keep him warm. Gladden wakes up before sunrise, when he and the other homeless men and women here are kicked out, before the bustle of morning commute. He collects his worldly possessions -- which fit into a single bag – and begins his own trek to work. And his job is at the U.S. Capitol. For 8 years he has worked in Senate cafeterias, washing dishes and doing janitorial work. Gladden is 63, and makes about $11 an hour. He takes home about $360 a week. But he said he gives a lot of it to his children and grandchildren, who have their own financial troubles. "I take care of them," he says, "I don't want to be a burden on my kids." He also said, “I'm an embarrassment. I don't want to be an embarrassment to this country, the country I was born and raised in."
Today’s gospel reading is radically contrary to the political and economic system on which our nation and nations across the world are based. It is about the Good Shepherd who functions within a totally different paradigm – the “Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” Christianity boasts of a God who is not risen from the dead but lays down his life for the sheep. Why did God have to lay down God’s life for the sheep? The answers to these questions are the three practical implications for today.
- It is about Relationships. No one knew that Gladden was homeless, especially the senators whom he served. When he was interviewed, he said his message to the senators was, "All they have to do is stop and ask the common person on the street ... or in the building; the people bringing them their food, people sweeping and cleaning their toilet." We all know that American people’s faith in its elected leaders is at its lowest. I think it is because while they claim to speak for the American people, I am not sure it they really have a relationship with them. On the other side, you have Dan Price, founder of the Seattle payment processing firm, Gravity Payments. He sliced his $1million salary to $70,000. He has pledged to make sure all of his staffers make at least $70,000 annually in the next three years. That is the meaning of caring about your people. Jesus, the good shepherd went even further. Jesus, the Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep. Jesus does this because it is about relationships. The Good Shepherd comes and lays down his life for us because that is what good friends do for each other. God wants us to know, that that in a world that unjustly maximizes profit, in a world that has no reward for loyalty, in a world that exploits others to get things done, we have a friend in God. The Good Shepherd on the cross is a symbol of loyalty, sacrifice, selflessness and love. The Good Shepherd gave laid down his life for his sheep so that those of us who feel like giving up can still find strength; so that the poor and vulnerable can still find goodness; so that self-serving power and senseless profit may never be the last word; so that friendship still has meaning in the world.
- It is about love. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for his sheep because as John says in today’s second reading, “See what love the Father has bestowed on us… “ (1 Jn 3:1). Of all the friends that we have, aren’t the ones we trust also the ones who make sacrifices for us? Of all the friends we have are the ones we love most also the ones who have love us more than themselves. God could have sat up in heaven and saved us, but that would not be love. Today, we can look at the crucifix and say to each other – this is love. God loves us! That is why John is able to say us today, “Beloved, see what love that Father has for us….” In other words, we know love because the Good Shepherd made the greatest sacrifice of all. Jesus laid down his life for us.
- It is about Transforming Evil into Good. On Sept 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center was destroyed, I remember an image that was widely circulated. It was the image of the crossbeams that still stood tall around all the devastation. For many workers and ordinary folk, this cross beam became a symbol of home. It was as if God was telling us that Christ is still with us. This cross in now exhibited at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. When we read the scriptures we realize that on a fateful Friday, in the midst of much evil, the cross stood tall. On the one hand, the cross symbolized evil. But the Good Shepherd who hung on the cross was the epitome of everything that was noble, sacred and godly. In spite of all the shame the cross stood for, today, it is a testimony for truth, honor, love, faith and selflessness. Jesus transformed the symbol of evil into everything that is good. Yes, there is much evil around us. Yes, our leaders are selfish; Yes, corporate businesses run this nation; Yes, poverty is systemic and artificially created; Yes, life is a struggle for many of us; but precisely in such a world that there are also people like Dan Price, who still do good. Jesus teaches us how to live meaningfully in a difficult world. The good Shepherd teaches us how to transform every cross into an opportunity for virtue and good. At work, at home and at every place we might be, the Good Shepherd leads us to transform evil into good.
Once again, in this bread and wine and Good Shepherd lays down his life for us. Bread will be broken and blood will be shed. As we participate in the life of the Good Shepherd let us give of ourselves for the salvation of the world.
Satish Joseph