WePicking up on the closing words of today’s Gospel that we just heard, my friends: Jesus says He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

For most of us, no doubt, when we even think about an abundant life, we usually think about the lives of the rich and famous:

Fast and beautiful cars, Fancy homes with well-groomed lawns, Unlimited expense accounts, Luxury and leisure without any stress or strain, Wardrobes and clothes to wear that are of the latest fashion and with plenty of storage space to keep them all

And the degrees of opulence just go on and on.

But deep down in our hearts we know that, Real abundance in life, the genuine blessings God gives us, the long lasting and satisfying feeling that fulfills us, Are not nearly as much about the externals of life as they are about the internal graces we are blessed with:

Health, and sometimes recovered health, good enough to be able to get around, Family and friends who are solidly loyal and upon whom we can depend when life gets tough, Our life here in this country as American citizens, Our jobs, and the skills and energies to get up each day and go about the work God provides for us to do, or even go fishing for new job opportunities, The freedoms we have to worship our God in Church without oppression from a dictatorship government. 

All these and so many more internally fulfilling experiences are what make living an abundant life possible for not just those who have lots of money, but for everyone: rich and poor alike.

Now let’s consider the providing source of this internal abundance. Of course, it’s God.

It starts with the Father and His living generosity in creation and continued Divine Providence toward the creation He made and of which we are a part.

Then there’s Jesus who’s there to save us and rescue us when we get ourselves off the right track in life - just like a good shepherd tends his sheep, as we heard about in today’s Gospel.

And, with an eye toward Pentecost coming up in 4 weeks, we mustn’t forget the Holy Spirit, who is our best guidance counselor in life, our best teacher, and our best advocate who always pleads our cause with the Father and the Son.

That’s the kind of abundant living Jesus was talking about in today’s Gospel.

Let’s also, this Good Shepherd Sunday, acknowledge the intimacy of God’s relationship with each one of us.

Sometimes shepherding stories don’t do much for us because sheep aren’t part of our everyday experience.

But back in Jesus’ time, shepherding sheep was very common.

Back then, we’re told, there were only common pasturelands.

And there were no identifying marks or branding on the sheep. So the sheep pretty much all looked alike.

That meant that a good shepherd had to have some kind of special relationship with each of his individual sheep so that each would know his voice and he would recognize each as his own, and they all would follow him to receive the best care he could give them.

Perhaps to better feeding grounds, Maybe away from a prowling predator into safety, Or possibly to a shelter for healing an injury.

Well, in just the same way, God personally knows and recognizes us individually even amid the crowd of all the other people He put on this earth. We believe that!

Sometimes we may feel invisible or lost in the masses of people around us. But knowing that we are deeply loved by a very generous God can be oh, so consoling when we feel alone and forgotten.

So when you feel taken for granted, think about the one who is your Good Shepherd.  He never takes you for granted.

He knows you and loves you. And He is forever leading you to living a more abundant life with so many internal blessings.

       Thank you.