Readings
for Easter 4A: Ps. 23; John 10:1-10
April 21, 2002
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
There are hundreds of images of God and Jesus portrayed in the Bible. For instance, God is often described as Lord, King, deliverer, Father, mediator of justice. Jesus is often described as the light of the world, the bread of life, the Son of God. These images are packed with theology and only begin to uncover the mystery which forms the Ground of Being. Today, being Good Shepherd Sunday, God is portrayed as the great Shepherd who protects and sustains us: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters. He revives my soul." (Ps. 23) In the gospel, Jesus is described as the gate, through which abundant life may be found. It is this image of Jesus as the gate to abundant life that I would like to focus on today. What is abundant life? How do we obtain it and where does Jesus fit into the equation?
Jesus said: "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." When I think of a gate, I think of several things. First of all, I think of a gate as a protection from potential harm. There is a big difference between living on the streets and having the protection of a home with a locked door.
When I was a chaplain in Yuma AZ, I was assigned to the nursery (among other areas). On my first day, I went into the nursery to introduce myself to the nurses and to let them know of my availability in responding to pastoral needs. Immediately upon entering the nursery, two nurses rushed to the door to block my entrance. After introducing myself and explaining my role, they told me: "Don't call us, we'll call you." At first glance, this behavior might seem rude, and maybe it was. But on the other hand, they had the responsibility of protecting the new-born infants from germs as well as from intruders who might steal one of the babies. These nurses formed the "gate" into and out of the nursery. Those babies were better off because of their protection. When I think of Jesus as the gate which protects his followers, the first thing that comes to my mind is his teaching which point to a way of thinking and acting that eliminates harm to God's creatures. There is a way of walking in this world that affirms life and says "no" to those powers of the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God. This is the way that Jesus pointed to.
In the Harry Potter movie, The Sorcerer and the Stone, Harry has to make a decision, whether or not to use the stone in a way that is opportunistic and might cause great harm. Voldermort, an evil character tells him: "There is no such thing as good and evil. There is only power and those who are afraid to use it." Well, that is one philosophy. Unfortunately, it is a philosophy that is prevalent in society today. There are many philosophies out there that promise abundant life. But in the long run, most of them cause harm instead of abundance. Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the lifeŠCome follow meŠand you will have abundant life."
For some, this statement might seem like an exclusive statement, one which has incited Christians to fight or discriminate against non-Christians. But if we were to really to follow Jesus, we would know that there is no place in the kingdom of God for this kind of behavior. Today, in first world countries, the principle of relativism dominates the culture. In this climate, educated people are unwilling to make a definitive claim on the truth. Instead, they take the easy way out and say: "You do your thing and I will do mine. All paths lead to the same destination. Everything is relative." It is little wonder that people wander aimlessly without a compass.
While the Christian path is not meant to be exclusive, it is meant to be definitive. When Jesus says that he is the gate, he is pointing to a way of walking in this world that allows for peace and justice and the dignity of every human being. This is what makes life abundant. This way of walking in the world is not a relative path nor an exclusive path. But it is a definitive path. This way of walking in the world is marked by sacrifice, not self-absorption. This way of walking in the world is marked by forgiveness, not revenge. This way of walking in the world is marked by generosity and a fair distribution of the wealth. This way of walking in the world is marked by loving relationships rather than taking advantage of the weaker partner. This way of walking in the world is marked by speaking up for justice even at one's own risk. The path of Jesus is the path of compassion and truth. All who enter through this gate will have life and will have it abundantly.
As most of you know, I just came back from Guatemala. Guatemala declared its independence from Spain in 1821. It was immediately taken over by Mexico, and later, governed by a series of dictators and conservative presidents over the next century. During that time, the Mayans, who are the indigenous people of the country, were excluded from the political process. Their lands were taken over by large estates of cocoa, coffee, and bananas. By the turn of the 20th century, the United Fruit Company of Boston owned vast stretches of land. They employed laborers at slave wages and cultivated only 20% of the land. A cry for self-determination and justice rose up among the Mayan people.
During the thirty years between 1954-1984, the country was rocked by an increase in violence as trade unions, left-wing guerrillas, and others fought against military rule. The Church was also subjected to violence by the American backed Guatemalan armed forces who resented clergy for their support of the indigenous people. During this time, the army used scorched earth techniques to terrorize the Mayan people. Many innocent by-standers were killed or left homeless. Into this dark moment of history, there were many bright lights, most of whom have been forgotten. However, if you go into the church in the village of Santiago, there is a gravestone of a missionary priest from Oklahoma whose name is Stanley Rother. Fr. Stanley was much beloved by the villagers. When they were in harms way, he offered them sanctuary in the church. When they were frightened, he offered them peace. When they became disheartened, he empowered him. At the height of the civil war, he was assassinated in 1981. On his gravestone are the following words: "There is no love greater than this; to give one's life for one's friends."
What is it that empowers a person to speak up for justice at the risk of losing his life? What is it that empowers a person to respond to a dark situation with generosity instead of fear? What kind of a person would be willing to sacrifice his own life so that others may have life and may have it more abundantly? It is a person who has entered through the gate; one who has embraced the teachings and spirit of Jesus, and has made a decision to follow him wherever life may lead.
"O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of thy people. Grant that when we hear his voice, we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads."
| Updated 4/21/02 |
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