Ovine Comparisons

Sermon for the second Sunday after Easter

Analogies and metaphors 

can only go so far.

Our Lord describes us

as His sheep.

To our ears,

that makes us sound

like dumb animals.

Perhaps we object to that

as it hurts our dignity

as human beings.

But if we compare ourselves 

with God

we are not even sheep.

What is a pot 

compared with the potter?

Or the stick man

idly doodled onto the page

of an exercise book

compared with the bored

schoolboy trying to cope

with learning 

the politics of World War I?

To be compared as a sheep

with the Divine Master 

is a compliment.

But if we are concerned 

about being compared with sheep

in the first place 

then we're missing the point.

[PAUSE]

To compare two things

puts them in opposition.

We look at two things

to see which is bigger,

which is worth more money,

which is prettier,

which smells worse.

The moment we try that with God 

then the comparisons 

stop making any sense.

Which is redder:

the post box,

or the colour red?

Which is brighter:

the sun,

or light itself?

Which is more holy 

the saints,

or God Himself?

[PAUSE]

We are always so ready

to compare ourselves with others

that frequently we miss the point.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd 

we are His sheep,

not of the fold

of the inheritance of Israel

but of the gentile fold 

that Jesus has taken to Himself.

Yes,  the metaphor 

compares us with sheep

but the point is clear:

God is with us.

He isn't against us.

He is not comparing Himself with us.

He is not setting Himself up

in opposition to us.

If Jesus is using 

the metaphor of the sheep 

to make the point

that He is greater than us

then He would have to deny 

the fact that He has a human nature

like us.

To reinforce His difference from us

would be to despise His Incarnation 

and that would defeat the whole object

of why He became flesh for us.

If humans are sheep

then He would be a sheep as well.

In saying that He is the shepherd 

Jesus is not exalting Himself over us.

Quite the reverse.

He is saying that He is with us.

He is on our side.

He has our backs,

won't let us go,

will fight for us

will die for us 

will lead us into the ecstasy

of Heaven itself

all because He loves us

and enjoys 

to be around us.

[PAUSE]

However we appear

in Our Lord's parables

we can trust 

that He means us

in the best possible way

in order to bring us to our perfection 

and happiness 

which can only happen 

when He is in our midst.