In the sheep world (because I don’t know the technical term) the ewes and lambs have a special relationship—a strong relationship that allows for the lamb to grow strong and thrive on its own. Normally, this is the way of sheep; they birth more sheep and then take care of them. But once in a great while, what’s known as a ‘bummer lamb’ will be born. This occurs when the connection between lamb and ewe does not take place—more concisely, when the mother shuns the baby. Heartbroken, the lamb will hang its head low, barely move around, not eat, and eventually die. But there’s hope, yet.
Enter the shepherd.
When bummer lambs are noticed, the shepherd of the flock takes action. While still caring for the rest of the fold, he/she will take the bummer lamb indoors, to the dwelling place of the shepherd. They’ll sit by the fire with the lamb, wrapping it in a blanket and holding it; this mimics the affection that would have been felt by the lamb and given by the mother. The shepherd feeds the lamb, nurtures the lamb, and ensures that it feels loved and wanted. Eventually and inevitably, the lamb grows into a healthy sheep and is returned to the flock. Integration occurs, and the sheep makes relationships with other sheep around it, allowing for a sense of normality and continuance. This story is taken from the personal experience of Sheila Walsh…
It gets sweeter.
Anytime—in the event of a bummer lamb—that the shepherd goes out to call his/her sheep, the bummer lamb (now fully healthy) is typically the first creature to heed that call. It will come running to the one who cared for it, who nurtured it, who brought it back from the brink of death. While the other sheep also hear that call, it is the bummer lamb who turns into the joyful returner, leading the way for the others to join their beloved shepherd.
This has to be the way God cares for us. I can’t think of a more fitting analogy than that of the shepherd/lamb story above. Jesus says, “I am the Shepherd, you are my sheep.” Believing this, and knowing the human condition, I can safely assume that there are many of us who have—at one time or another—felt like the bummer lamb. We’ve felt isolated, weak, unloved—and most of the time we have people in our lives who will raise us up, uplifting us to stand on our own. I believe they are charged with the Holy Spirit and that God works through them to be shepherds in their own way. We, too, all have the opportunity to be shepherds. Look around you, and I imagine you won’t have to search very long before you see someone who is feeling isolated, weak, and/or unloved. While Jesus is the Good Shepherd, you can be a shepherd, too. It only takes a moment to change someone’s life, usually. A smile, a kind word, even allowing someone to go first in the grocery store line. But sometimes, it may take longer. It may take investing time into that person, to care for them when they have no one else, to make a phone call once a week and check in, to give them the food of love and walk them back from the brink of despair.
To give them hope again.
God calls us to be disciples and to walk in the footsteps of Christ. It is impossible to recreate that journey—we just can’t do it. We’ll mess up, commit sin, succumb to our own desires. But that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Because once in a while, we can follow the way of the Good Shepherd.
We may be sinners, but we can be shepherds, too.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+