I have often wondered about those “other sheep” to whom Jesus refers in the gospel story about the “Good Shepherd.”
- Specifically, who are they?
- And why does Jesus make it a
point to mention them at all?
· And what do those ‘other sheep’ have to do with you and me?
And so it is I have wondered at where I have encountered those ‘other sheep’ in these past days. And I have wondered at my, and our, response to them as those whom Jesus knows and who know Jesus in return. I would offer you some possible scenarios now…
I was working at a trauma call in Buffalo, NY. In the factory lunchroom, there are vending machines with breakfast sandwiches, snacks and drinks. A retired man works part time for the vending company and his job is to replenish the snack food daily. This retiree shared that on Friday’s there is an expiration date on the food and he needs to pull the food off the shelves and out of the refrigerators and toss in the garbage. He feels bad because the food is good and a waste since so many people are hungry in his community. He said if he knew a church that was giving out food, he would gladly donate. I suggested that he call 211 which is a local referral center to identify food cupboards in his neighborhood where he could take the expired food and put it to good use. He thought this was a great suggestion.
In my recent Holy Week visit to Divine Mercy in Las Vegas, there are many homeless living on the streets in Vegas. Without a doubt, these people are not necessary drug addicts or mentally ill but simply in need of people who care for sheep who do not belong.
I suggested to the pastor that he might ask a local restaurant chain, if they would like to offer help. They might be happy to provide the sandwiches. Our first instinct might be to say “no.” We were getting along just fine surviving at Divine Mercy, thank you. And did we want to get in the business of helping the homeless or bothering local businesses?
Then we might think about the Good Shepherd story. What is our mission in this church? “Sheep who do not belong” on the streets would be a little less hungry. And so we might sit down and worked it out a plan to feed the homeless.
We might see that this as our mission. And yet, maybe it is so that as Jesus says, the ‘sheep not of this fold’ are simply ‘not yet‘ of this fold. And by partnering with anyone who would help us do good, perhaps we are exhibiting the same openness as Jesus when he says “I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” Perhaps in this way, we are paving the way for them to be part of it with us. Perhaps?
So, who is ‘of the fold’ and who ‘is not’ and who is ‘not yet’ and who is to judge? Indeed, I cannot help but wonder if Jesus just shakes his head sometimes at how we tend to draw lines between those who are ‘in’ and those who are ‘not in’ the fold.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends and wonder what do we think his words have to do with you and me who understand ourselves as those who ‘do belong to this fold?’
When have you encountered these ‘other sheep?’ What will happen next?
