St. Edward on the Lake, Lakeport, MI | DOWNLOAD AUDIO
May 7, 2017
Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Pt 2:20b-25; Jn 10:1-10
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday because every year the Gospel on this Sunday is some variation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd who protects and cares for the people of God just as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Shepherds always want their sheep to be safe. They want them to have what they need to be happy and healthy, so that they can grow and multiply as much as possible. A sheep has no greater friend than a good shepherd.
In the same way, we have no greater friend than Christ. He came into the world “so that [we] might have life and have it more abundantly”. Jesus does not claim to be one good shepherd among many other good shepherds. It’s pretty clear that He is calling Himself THE Good Shepherd: “All who came before me are thieves and robbers”. Today, Jesus would have been criticized for being intolerant, but we know by faith and through our own relationship with Him that He only speaks the Truth.
Throughout history, and even in our own day, there have always been those who have claimed to be saviors who have all the answers. Some were really consumed by pride, greed, power, or lust. Others have sincerely desired to make the world a better place, but were flawed in some way, lacking in wisdom or power. They couldn’t truly provide humanity with the kind of hope that it was looking for.
Jesus, on the other hand, not only wants to lead us to a more abundant life, but He can. Our all-knowing, Almighty, and eternal God is perfect in goodness, wisdom, and power. He is the Way the Truth and the Life,[1] and so it is always in our best interests to follow the Good Shepherd.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus describes Himself as the gate through which all must enter. He says, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved”. There is no other way. No political leader or party, no worldly ideology can lead us to the verdant pastures and restful waters that can refresh our souls for eternity. Only Jesus, the one and only Good Shepherd.
So if we have this great Shepherd and Savior, why are things such a mess? The problem, of course, is not with the Shepherd; the problem is with the sheep. We are the sheep, and in our sinfulness we sometimes don’t listen to the Shepherd. Sometimes, we stray from the flock and get lost. Some stray willingly while some are easily lured away because they never took the time to listen to the voice of the Shepherd. Some come to their sense and return to the flock while some, unfortunately, remain lost forever. If only we would be sensible sheep and listen to the voice of the One we know. Our shepherd is not just any old shepherd; He is the perfect shepherd.
So what do we have to do to get ourselves to listen to His voice and follow it? First, we have to understand how the Shepherd continues to speak to us today. The wonderful thing is that God uses human messengers to shepherd His flock. In the First Reading, we hear how three thousand people became followers of Christ in one day, because of one sermon given by St. Peter, the first pope. St. Peter preaches the truth about Jesus Christ, and that made the people want to follow Him. Throughout history, there have been countless conversions through the preaching and example of human messengers.
Christianity is not just about “me and Jesus”. It is about His Church, through which God has chosen to make Himself known and loved by sinners who need His grace. God has placed in His Church shepherds who speak His voice. First, of course, is the Holy Father Pope Francis. The pope is chosen by God to lead His Church on Earth. We need to pray for our pope that he may have the strength to lead the Church in truth. There are also bishops and priests who are united with him in that same truth.
How about the laity? If the laity have some share in Jesus’ priesthood, what should it look like? The laity must be shepherds in way that is proper to their state in life. Parents must shepherd their children by guiding them to Jesus. They must help them to know Jesus by teaching them how to pray, by bringing them to Mass and confession, by showing them in word and example how to live a virtuous life. For this, we look to Mary as our example. The Blessed Mother is mother of the Shepherd and our Mother who always leads her children to Jesus by her words, example, and intercession. Teachers must train their students to seek truth and to be honest in all that they do. Politicians must always work to promote the common good by upholding what is morally true and good. All of us, no matter what field we work in, must be the Shepherd’s messengers by listening to His voice and following it in our own lives.
Finally, we need to turn away from all of the false shepherds in this world. Pope Benedict frequently warned us against what he called the “dictatorship of relativism” which basically says that everyone’s personal ideas about what is true or false, right or wrong are equally valid, as if there were no objective truth or right at all. Catholicism is completely contrary to relativism. There is only one truth and His Name is Jesus Christ. There is only one voice that matters and it belongs to Jesus Christ. When we speak and when we act, it must be according to this Truth and this voice. Then and only then will we help guide others to the Lord.
Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. And while the Church values all vocations, there’s a particular focus today on vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. It is through these vocations that God raises up voices to proclaim His Truth in a world that has largely rejected it. We need more of those voices. We need to encourage vocations.
There are three ways that we can do this. First, is to pray to God that He will call more young men and women to these vocations. Jesus commanded us to do this. Second, is to pray that those whom God is calling will have the grace to hear His voice and respond to it generously. Third, is to encourage young people. Be on the lookout for those who have qualities that would make them a good priest or nun. Encourage them to think about a vocation. You’ll be surprised how much good an encouraging word will do.
God works through messengers. If he is calling you to be a special messenger, do not be afraid! For the rest of us, today let’s join our prayers to those of the whole Church, asking him to send out more messengers through whom he can work.
[1] Jn 14:6
