Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Today, we begin the fourth week of Easter. Our Scripture readings of the past three weeks gave us inspiring and challenging thoughts, calling us to be Easter people. We listened to the many stories of the disciples of Jesus meeting their risen Lord and master and the amazing change and transformation that happened to them. We reflected on the promise that the Risen Lord made to his disciples that he would go ahead of them into Galilee and today into our own Galilees, to places and situations that we are called to go. We reflected on the mercy  of God reaching out to the confused and frightened disciples of Jesus and to the early Christian community and making them free and unafraid.   And we heard the Lord calling us to be merciful just as our heavenly father is merciful. And last Sunday, we heard the assurance of the Lord’s peace and the call to be channels of peace for the world.

 

Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday. Our Scripture readings of today proclaim how tenderly and immensely God loves us and cares for us. The first reading speaks of Peter, who denied knowing Jesus, now filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaiming that the preaching and healing were done in the name of Jesus and that salvation has come through Jesus. The responsorial Psalm calls all people, including the Gentiles to praise and proclaim God’s enduring love. The author of the second reading tells us that we are God’s very dear and beloved children. The Gospel proclaims Jesus as the good and caring shepherd who knows us, loves us, leads us, and lays down his life for us.

 

The image of the shepherd reflects a very caring, protective, selfless, self-sacrificing, and enduring relationship. The good shepherd knows the sheep and is known by the sheep. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep because he loves, cherishes, and values the sheep. One of the oldest images of God is “shepherd of souls.” At the time of Jesus, the sheep had to graze in the narrow central plateau without protecting walls, where grass was sparse. The shepherd had to be ceaselessly and sleeplessly on the watch to protect the sheep from harm. This image of the shepherd reveals the unfailing vigilance and self-sacrificing love of God for us in Jesus. Our good shepherd, Jesus, in laying down his life for us, secured our safety and our salvation.

 

The Psalmist proclaimed, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23). Now we can proclaim it even more boldly because the Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd” who is ready to lay down his life for us. What an amazing relationship between disciples and their master!!!  How awesome it is that we have become cherished and prized objects of divine diligence, vigilance, and sacrifice!!!

The good shepherd spares no pains for the welfare of the sheep. We can look to our good shepherd with absolute confidence and devotion.

 

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the link below…