Jesus' Little Lamb

This coming Sunday is called Good Shepherd Sunday for those churches that follow the ancient church year. The readings for this day emphasize that Jesus is our Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep and sees that not a single one is lost or harmed (John 10:1-30). 

For our family this Sunday, May 15, 2011, is also the day on which my first great-grandson will be baptized into the family of Christ and declared a member of the Good Shepherd's flock. He is the first born son of my grandson Shawn and his wife Marian. I am privileged to officiate. It is a time of great celebration for us. His baptized name is Byron. 

Curious about the name Byron's parents chose for him, I did a little research. There are a number of towns in the U.S. named Byron. Since I grew up in Minnesota, I was interested to learn that there is a little town in Minnesota ten miles west of Rochester named Byron. In 1865, when the Winona—St. Peter Railroad (now known as the Dakota Minnesota and Eastern Railroad) was being built, S.W. VanDusen, a New York millionaire, purchased land near Rochester and platted a village he named Byron, after his hometown, Byron, N.Y. Byron, N.Y. is 25 miles SW of Rochester and was first settled around 1807. Settlers named their town in honor of Lord Byron, the renowned British poet.


So, acting in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I will pour water upon Byron's head. In that very simple act, Jesus will declare He has taken Byron with Him into death and out of death into life eternal (Romans 6:3-11). Thus Byron will begin his life as a lamb of the Good Shepherd. In this simple little song we all join Byron to say,

I am Jesus’ little lamb,
Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my need, and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.

 I rejoice that Byron will become Jesus' little lamb on Good Shepherd Sunday.