Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 3, 2020
Jesus said, “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.”
Today the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Gospel selection from John. How do we train ourselves to listen and hear God’s call? An encounter I had earlier in my life reinforces how this might be possible.
My professional life has been one of beauty and engagement with young people in several Catholic school communities. Earlier in my career, when I was full of vigor, I served the dual role of teacher and coach. Fulfilling my coaching duties, I mapped out a way to “scout” an upcoming opponent at a local basketball tournament. What I witnessed, surprised me!
The gym where the game was held was rocking with noise. The referees’ whistles could barely be heard above the sound of the crowd. Yet, when I witnessed the point guard (the on-floor coach) of the team I was scouting bringing up the ball, I saw him turn his head every possession to his coach. His coach was inaudible to me and everyone else, but he was speaking to his floor captain and not using hand motions to call his plays. Remarkably, the point guard knew every play to run and the team ultimately walked away victorious.
I came away understanding that the trust displayed between coach and player had been developed and invested in by both individuals on and off the court. And so, I now challenge myself in relation to this Gospel passage to cultivate that same mutual relationship between the Good Shepherd and me that was displayed by that coach and player. So, when the noise in my life is too much and the commotion of what is going on around me is pressing me down, I can simply steal a glance of the Good Shepherd and know that God is calling me home.
Prayer
Dear Lord, you know each of us by name, our inmost being, our true self. We have tried for a long time to recognize your voice. Once we hear and recognize it, we feel a sense of joy—we are uplifted. Of course you know us. You created us. You are with us. You are our Shepherd and how we love to hear your voice when you draw near. Then indeed we know that we are safe. We are in your care. What can be more comforting?
Saint of the Day
James was one of the 12 disciples, and was Jesus’ own cousin—his mother was sister or cousin to Mary. Legend says that he looked so much like Jesus that Mary herself could have confused them, and this is why Judas betrayed Jesus with an identifying kiss for the authorities.
James is called “minor” or “lesser,” meaning younger, to distinguish him from the other James, who was also a disciple and played a more significant role in the Gospel stories.
This James was one of the first witnesses of the resurrection, and received a special appearance from Jesus before he ascended to heaven. He was bishop of the Church in Jerusalem, and was held in high esteem—he spoke for the people, for instance, in some of the important decisions of the early Church. St. Paul consulted with him before starting his missionary journeys and referred to him as a “pillar” of the Church.
He was known in Jerusalem as “The Just One” because of his constancy in prayer and for the devotion with which he practiced his faith. He did not eat meat, he refrained from any ostentation in clothing, he did not drink wine, and he did not cut his hair. He spent so much time in prayer that his knees grew thick calluses and looked like a camel’s.
The leaders in Jerusalem were worried about the growing number of people who were coming to believe that Jesus was the Christ. They asked James to refute this claim, but he refused and was stoned. He was finally killed when he was struck on the head with a club, and his body was cut to pieces with a saw. He is the patron saint of pharmacists because they work with a pestle, which resembles a club.
He is frequently portrayed in art with the instruments of his death, a club or saw, or with a book, signifying his authority in the early Church. The relics of St. James the Lesser rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. He is also portrayed with this symbol in stained glass that stands in the chapel in Morrissey Hall.
St. James the Lesser, cousin of Jesus and the “just one” who led the early Church in Jerusalem—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. James the Lesser is in the public domain. Last accessed March 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
