By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Ah, spring. Trees are leafing, temps are warming. Allergies are blossoming. And we come to the merry month of May—merry especially for our graduating classes, as well as the non-graduating who are looking forward to a little summer vacation. The roads are already beginning to clog with RVs as the snowbirds migrate northward. And as April ends, we come upon May Day.

Now, May Day (May 1) is a day of many aspects in different cultures. It has the aspect of the celebration of spring, but also of labor movements, and is one of the more important celebrations of communist and socialist countries in celebration of the ostensible workers’ paradise. Socialism (if polls are correct) seems to be gaining a lot of ground among young people, despite the fact that virtually all evidence indicates that it never works very well; in fact, it has proven disastrous for many nations and peoples—millions dying under some of such regimes.

“But, priest … isn’t socialism in the Bible?” Actually, yes; we read from the Acts of the Apostles of a socialist harmony in which early Christians lived: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”

But the key phrase here is: “ …of one heart and mind…”; all agreed to share what they had among the group. It was a voluntary socialism, not one foisted upon them by politics and power struggles.

As history shows, forced socialism fails, leading to dictatorship, because, as in George Orwell’s classic novel “Animal Farm” leaders tend to come to view themselves as “first among equals” and “deserving” of the power and wealth to “ensure” compliance with the state, until finally tyranny reigns. Think of N. Korea, the Soviet Union, China, East Germany, etc.

Even in monasteries where monks and nuns seek to imitate this early Christian ideal, human failings and faults tend to get in the way. Some work hard, and some … don’t. Some are careful with what they consume and use, and some … not so  much. Industrious persons weary of being taken advantage of. Only if there is a collective sense of charity and working for God will it succeed … which actually does happen in most monasteries and convents, even if imperfectly. But … take God out of the picture, and then not so much.

Obviously, one doesn’t have to live in a monastery or under socialism to have compassion for others. In fact, in whatever walk of life or government we find ourselves in, we are called to charity and to that compassion. Jesus’ disciples are called (in fact, commanded) not to work only for themselves, but for the good they can do for others. Many non-Catholics Christians and non-Christians do so as well, but Christians believe that the Holy Spirit magnifies their work by drawing others to faith, remembering Christ’s words: “I am the vine, you are the branches…apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

We choose in which realm we want to live, either existing in and for the selfishness of the world, or in loving God and loving our neighbor. The Christian ideal is to dedicate ourselves to God and neighbor rather than seeking to  necessarily enlarge our “mark” in the world … to be truly “born from above” in the sense of the spiritual growth and self-forgetfulness of following God and seeking the greater good of our neighbor. For we remember Jesus: “…the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you,” (Mark 4:24-25), and as He says in another place: “Where your treasure is [either on earth in selfishness, or in Heaven in goodness and charity], there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:2) For, as is often said: Whatever we keep on earth we lose [by death]; what we give away, we keep for eternity.

This Sunday (April 30) we Catholics hear in the Mass the Gospel of the Jesus’ parable of being the “gate” or “door” of the flock and the shepherd.

Such examples may seem a bit strange to the most of us, but they would have been daily images in Palestine; Jesus refers to such to make present His audience’s experiences and familiar surroundings. In fact, one of the oldest paintings of Christ in the Roman catacombs represents Jesus as carrying a straying sheep gently on his shoulders back to the flock. Christians believe themselves most fortunate to belong to the sheepfold of Christ, remembering Jesus’ words: “You have not chosen me; I have chosen you.” (John 15:16)

A shepherd’s life was hard—a 24/7 existence of watching the sheep in rain and shine, hot and cold, light and darkness … having to defend them against wolves and other wild animals … against thieves and robbers. But the sheep trusted the shepherd, and his sheep would follow only his particular call and voice. So constant vigilance, fearless courage, patient love for his flock … these were the traits of a good shepherd.

When out in the fields, shepherds would have makeshift pens at night, and one of them would lie across the entrance so that a sheep could not leave and, more importantly, nothing could enter to attack the sheep. This shepherd was called the “gate”, for it was he who let in or out of the sheepfold … watching over their welfare.

Jesus, of course, is the good shepherd … the shepherd who will risk—and give—His life for His sheep. For us. As scripture reminds us: “He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross…For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”(1 Peter 2:24)

Many today wander alone, trying to navigate a gauntlet of spiritual predators. Evil agents are always ravenous, seeking the blood of new victims. So we stay close to our shepherd; it is He and only He who will lead us safely to safe pasture by following His own example of tenderness, kindness, graciousness, attentiveness to virtue, and through prayer. And most of all, through trust, obedience and reverence toward the will of God, which is truth itself.

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.