May 15th - Reflection

Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:1-10 (NRSV)
Christ the shepherd
"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Reflection
My human pride and selfish ambition have led me to try to gain access to God as the thief would. I try to get to God in so many ways with all of my own efforts. Just like the thief, I try to gain access to God by being a goody two shoes or the church lady. I think God will pay attention if I act all churchy. What a bunch of sickening crap is all that! God doesn't owe me anything for being good!

Other times I try to get to God by doing good things for others. But in so doing my "real" motive seems to be that I just want to look good for God. What a bunch of bull! God doesn't owe me anything for being good!

Access to God isn't by all these things that seem to make sense to my selfish ways of doing things. I can't gain access to God by anything I do, or say, or act, or be. I can only gain access to God through the "gate." And that gate is Jesus. Jesus is the door to God for all of us, not our church lady actions, or our goody two shoes life, or our insulting gifts of love in appearance.

Jesus has the true claim to be the gate or door to God. And through Jesus we are led in and out. We are guided by Jesus gift of love and life, not by any gift we could ever offer. We hear the voice of the shepherd through the word and gate and door of Jesus. God came to us and has given us access to God through Jesus.

So put all of that churchy stuff behind. It makes most people sick anyway. Be yourself. We are sheep led through the gate of our Lord and Savior to the presence of God so that we can give our life to God. What an honor! What a privilege! What a new life! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, lead me guide me and call me to life in and through you...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen