YearA-6
4th Sunday of Easter: Good Shepherd 5/3/2020
Dear friends in Jesus Christ,
Today we celebrate the “Good Shepherd Sunday”. There was ongoing conflict between Jesus and the Pharisaic leaders in the context of the claim to be the Son of Father and the light of the world. Jesus followed the Prophet Ezekiel (chapter 34) in accusing these leaders of using their position of shepherding their people in order to benefit their own selfish interests. So God will take away their shepherding and becomes the shepherd himself. It is in this context Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep”.
Shepherding of any kind involves love and concern – loving concern for all sheep and for each individual member. Jesus freely submitted himself to his Father and was executed out of love for us. But he rose from the dead so that he could continue to be our shepherd. The communion Antiphon sums up his work, “the Good Shepherd is risen! He who laid down his life for his sheep, who died for his flock, he is risen, alleluia”.
The Palestinian shepherd knew each of his sheep individually in all their vulnerability, and they knew him. When he called, they recognized his voice and followed him wherever he led them. He never drove them, he led them.
Jesus told this parable so that we hear his voice and follow him till the end. This is summed up in the collect prayer: “Almighty God, lead us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave shepherd had gone before”.
We are called to build up the kingdom of God in our family, and in our community. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can be good shepherds to those we work with, to those at school, and at home or on the street. Being a good shepherd means to make God’s presence known to others.
God bless and have a blessed Sunday,
Fr. Lou
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