WHAT DO YOU SEE,

WHAT DO YOU THINK,

WHEN YOU SEE 
THE GOOD SHEPHERD

MURAL HERE AT ST. MARY’S?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “What Do You See, What Do You Think, When You See the Good Shepherd Mural Here at St. Mary’s?”

The theme and thought of the Good Shepherd hit me when I read today’s readings - both of which mention God as Shepherd.

Recently, someone told me after a Sunday Mass here at St. Mary’s that when they are praying here - they look up to the Good Shepherd Mural every time.  They mentioned that they pray to Jesus the Good Shepherd  to find their three kids - who have become lost sheep - and have dropped out of any kind of religion in their life.

The mural is not a Rembrandt - but it does get lookers and thinkers and prayers. And I’m sure some people might say, “Ooo. I have never looked at that mural - ever.”

After this short homily, I hope all will do that.

OLDEST IMAGE OF JESUS

As you know, Jesus being presented as the Good Shepherd, is not only found in the gospels - like today’s gospel from Matthew - but in many  early Christian murals, pictures, in the  catacombs, and statues.

And it stayed around down through the centuries.

SHEEP ARE NOT DUMB

Last night I typed into Google the question: “Are sheep dumb?” I know I’ve said that in sermons - because I heard that in sermons and I was dumb enough to repeat that - without checking up on it.

Mosquitoes are the smartest - they always find a skin spot - even in the dark.

Back to sheep….  I read that various scientists and researchers say, “Sheep are not dumb.”

They can remember 20 to 50 faces.  They have and use their brains. Trouble is that a human brain would weigh around 1300 to 1500 grams - and a sheep’s brain is about 140 grams - so less  brain - but back to that mosquito….

Sheep can be individualistic and communal. They can follow a leader and they can be a leader. There are stories about sheep leading the flock back to the pen - in a blinding snow storm. They have a frontal cortex and it does what the frontal cortex of a brain does. However, I read last night - and I am not a brain surgeon - that they don’t have a prefrontal cortex and that’s the place where we have some of our key skills as human beings.

Ooops…. And they have much stronger ability to smell and scent than us humans. There is evidence that they can sniff out in the earth - key ingredients for specific sicknesses that they have.

JESUS AND ISAIAH

I assume Isaiah and Jesus spotted sheep and goat herders in their daily life - and knew that some sheep got lost and shepherds were very caring and concerned about their sheep so they applied that image to how they wanted to say God our Father is like.

More: they would realize that a shepherd holding a lost sheep in his arms would have a lot more impact than holding a wild animal or a dangerous dog. I don’t think there were any alligators in the Jordan river in their time.

Seeing these scenes, they must have made the jump: if shepherds show such care for sheep, how much more does God care for us.

CONCLUSION

Simple message.

Pray for lost sheep.

And when lost, make the "Baa" prayer to God. It’s a great prayer when we feel lost. And God will come looking.