Called to Know and Follow Jesus…

The Liturgy of this Fourth Sunday of Easter pursues the aim of helping us rediscover our identity as disciples of the Risen Lord. In today’s Gospel, where Jesus says: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). This self-introduction by Jesus cannot be reduced to an emotional suggestion, without any concrete effect! Jesus heals through his being a shepherd who lays down his life. Giving his life for us, Jesus says to each one: ‘Your life is worth so much to me, that to save it I give all of myself’. It is precisely this offering of his life that makes him the Good Shepherd par excellence, the One who heals, the One who allows us to live a beautiful and fruitful life.

The second part of the same Gospel passage tells us how Jesus can heal us and make our life joyful and fruitful: “I am the good shepherd”, Jesus says. “I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father” (vv. 14-15). Jesus does not speak of intellectual knowledge, no, but of a personal relationship, of predilection, of mutual tenderness, reflection of the same intimate loving relationship between him and the Father. This is the attitude through which a living relationship with Jesus is realized: allowing ourselves to be known by him. Not closing up within ourselves; but opening ourselves to the Lord, so that he may know us. He is attentive to each one of us; he knows the depths of our heart: he knows our merits and our defects, the projects we have carried out and the hopes that have gone unfulfilled. But he accepts us as we are, even with our sins, so as to heal us, to forgive us; he guides us with love, so that we can cross even impervious paths without losing the way. He accompanies us.

In turn, we are called to know Jesus. This implies an encounter with him, an encounter which spurs the desire to follow him, abandoning self-referential attitudes and setting out on new paths, indicated by Christ himself and open to vast horizons. When in our communities the desire to live the relationship with Jesus, to listen to his voice and to follow him faithfully cools down, it is inevitable that other ways of thinking and living that are not consistent with the Gospel will prevail. May Mary, our Mother, help us to develop an ever stronger relationship with Jesus. Opening ourselves to Jesus, so that he may enter within us. A stronger relationship: He is Risen. In this way, we can follow him all our life. On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, may Mary intercede so that many may respond with generosity and perseverance to the Lord who calls us to leave everything for His Kingdom. [Synthesized from Pope Francis Regina Caeli 22 IV 2018] 

-Fr. Raj

4th Sunday of Easter – Cycle B

My friends, our gospel reading today has some wonderful imagery:  the sheep, the shepherd, the flock and the wolf….

But, for those of us who don’t know a lot about the sheep and the shepherd in Palestine  during the time of Jesus – and today – this imagery doesn’t have much of an impact.  So, a little background…

First – sheep really, really need taking care of:

They are not very smart.

They literally need to be led to food and water.

They are prone to wandering.

They have bad eyesight and because of this – they often get lost, fall into ditches – and cannot find their way back to the flock.

They are very weak – and are on every predator’s list of easy prey.

They are totally dependent on their shepherd – for their very life.

They are brought to shelter by the shepherd.

They know and trust their shepherd’s voice and will follow it.  BUT– if they hear a stranger’s voice, they become afraid and run away and scatter……

Secondly – the shepherd… 

The shepherd’s life is hard.  They are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Their skin is weathered because their life is mostly outdoors – with their flock. 

They lead their flock to food, water and shelter. 

They protect their sheep against predators – sometimes putting their own life at risk. 

Author W. M. Thomson, the writer of, "The Land and the Book"   wrote that many people around the region of Tiberias and Tabor gave testimonies of good and faithful shepherds who did more than put their life at risk for the safety of the sheep.  Sometimes, they literally had to lay down their life to safeguard the sheep against predators and thieves and robbers….

Third – They had the sheep primarily for wool – not food. 

As such, most of the sheep were with the shepherd for years and were even given names by the shepherd.  The sheep knew and trusted the shepherd’s voice and would come to him when he called by their name.  Author H. V. Morton tells of a scene that he saw in a cave near Bethlehem. Two shepherds had sheltered their flocks in the cave during the night.  How were the flocks to be sorted out in the morning?   …One of the shepherds stood some distance away from the cave and gave his peculiar call which only his own sheep knew.  Soon his whole flock ran out to him – because they knew his voice... 

My friends – an important part of today’s gospel is where Jesus said:  “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.  These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” 

Believe it or not – there is prejudice among some Catholics who think they alone have the “One True Church” and all others do not have the path to Heaven.  In the Gospel of Mark Chapter 9: Verses 40 and 41 Jesus said:  “Whoever is not against us is for us.  Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

One very popular image of Jesus is that of the Good Shepherd.  The one that comes to my mind is that of Jesus carrying the lost sheep over his shoulders – back to the safety and serenity of the flock.

…Like sheep who recognize the shepherd’s voice, all we need to do is listen to Jesus’ gospel message – and follow it.

His message for us is plain and simple:

Love God with your whole heart.

Love your neighbor as you love yourself….