The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally called Good Shepherd Sunday. The image of God as the Good Shepherd is very rich in the history of humanity. For Israel, the reference to God as shepherd is making reference to an experience which an individual or the community as a whole has had of God in history. The context where God is called shepherd emphasizes the care and concern which God shows for Israel. God is preoccupied with His people’s safety and security, and shows Himself a true shepherd in delivering, gathering, and reinstating the flock in the Promised Land.
In the New Testament, especially in the Gospel we read this Sunday, the evangelist draws from the richness of the image as crystallized in the living memory, tradition, and words of Jesus Himself and in the context of the early communities. The love of Jesus- the Good Shepherd- for the sheep is manifested in a particular way in His personal, intimate knowledge of the sheep. He knows each by name and calls each one to follow Him. The sheep hear His voice; they recognize it and follow Him. There is full communion of life, based on mutual knowledge, between the shepherd and the sheep. This communion of life urges the Good Shepherd to give Himself completely for them, by laying down His life. He is ready to serve them unto the end “
having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). He is offering up His life which is the result of His love for the sheep: “
I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). So, the fourth Gospel presents Christ as the Messianic Shepherd who came to bring salvation to all humanity.
This Sunday celebrates the
57th Annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations. On this special day we are invited to unite the faithful together in praying for the fostering of all vocations, particularly those of ordained ministry and consecrated life.
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On that occasion, I chose four key words – pain, gratitude, encouragement and praise – as a way of thanking priests and supporting their ministry. I believe that today, those words can be addressed to the whole people of God, against the backdrop of the Gospel passage that recounts for us the remarkable experience of Jesus and Peter during a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Mt 14:22-33). At times, though, the boat can drift off course, misled by mirages, not the lighthouse that leads it home, and be tossed by the tempests of difficulty, doubt and fear. Something similar takes place in the hearts of those who, called to follow the Teacher of Nazareth, have to undertake a crossing and abandon their own security to become the Lord’s disciples. The risk involved is real: the night falls, the headwinds howl, the boat is tossed by the waves, and fear of failure, of not being up to the call, can threaten to overwhelm them. The Gospel, however, tells us that in the midst of this challenging journey we are not alone. Like the first ray of dawn in the heart of the night, the Lord comes walking on the troubled waters to join the disciples; he invites Peter to come to him on the waves, saves him when he sees him sinking and, once in the boat, makes the winds die down.
Dear friends, on this day in particular, but also in the ordinary pastoral life of our communities, I ask the Church to continue to promote vocations. May she touch the hearts of the faithful and enable each of them to discover with gratitude God’s call in their lives, to find courage to say “yes” to God, to overcome all weariness through faith in Christ, and to make of their lives a song of praise for God, for their brothers and sisters, and for the whole world. May the Virgin Mary accompany us and intercede for us” - Pope Francis, World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 2020.
During these challenging times let us find peace, hope, and trust in our relationship with Jesus the Good Shepherd. Let us also pray for our Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family, Fr. Xaviour and myself who are blessed to serve our parish community in the gift of consecrated life and ordained priesthood. Please join me in prayer for our deacons– Bob and Steve, as well as Deacon Mason who is scheduled to be ordained a priest next month, and also our seminarian Charles Bemis to continue to grow in the priestly vocation.
May the Good Shepherd keep us safe and protect us during these pandemic days of uncertainty.