The Grace to Become Sheep
"He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom." - Matthew 25:33-24
Not a shepherd myself, it wasn’t immediately clear why Jesus would choose sheep and goats to describe who would inherit the kingdom. But the desire for Heaven made me curious enough to research how I could be more sheep-like. I learned that sheep are docile, stay close to the herd while grazing low on grass, and rarely test boundaries or wander off. Goats, however, are much more independent and curious, like escape artists who break free from fences, and prefer food that is more elevated. Which of the two do you personally identify more with? Me? I’m team goat, and not in the GOAT sense either.
I have a history of being hard to wrangle, resisting authority, hating being told what to do, breaking free from rules and doing things MY way - in a word prideful. I would look down on Catholics, thinking how weak they were for obeying rules and not having the guts to hop the fence.
In today’s gospel, Jesus teaches of great rewards and harsh consequences tied to either caring for or neglecting Him present in the “least of these.” Hearing Jesus identify so deeply with the suffering of the most forgotten so clearly reveals His heart. The Good Shepherd who laid down His life, He also proves His trustworthiness. By His grace, I now see that ‘the law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.” I desire to be closer to Him and His flock, and much lower to the ground. While I don’t hindkick at His laws anymore, I still desperately need His help to carry them out.
Martin Vitorino