Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.
Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. He does not identify or name the hired man, the one who works for pay and who has no concern for the flock.
The good shepherd and the shepherd’s flock know each other intimately, the way spouses love each other. The shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. There will be one flock and one shepherd.
So far, this passage is logical, but at this point we learn that there are other flocks. We tend to think of ourselves as belonging to Jesus’ flock and as having it made. We are not ready to learn that there are other flocks that the shepherd will lead as well as us.
Who belong to these other flocks? The passage does not identify them. Historically, at the time of this Gospel, the community was split by dissention, by sin, by theological error, much as it is in our time. He words in this passage are meant to call us back into working toward the unity the good shepherd desires for his flock, his church.
Since the Second Vatican Council, Protestant and Catholic Christians Eastern and Western Catholics, have been working towards this unity. We have often found ourselves as sisters and brothers with the same Lord. We have also learned that followers of other religious beliefs, and even atheists and agnostics, who share many things in common with what we believe. Some of these flocks consist of those who have had abortions, of have different sexual orientations, or belong to political parties we do not like. Do we hear in this the voice of the good shepherd calling to all the many flocks to join him on the journey to the Father? Our flock is not meant to travel alone.
The Father loves the Son because the Son lay down his life so that all the flocks can become one flock. Jesus lay down his life not just for his flock, but for all the flocks. This is the only way he could make one flock out of all of us and all of them. This was the command Jesus had received from the Father.