4th Sunday of Easter, Year A
In today’s gospel reading from the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 10, from verse 1 to 10, Jesus reminds us that He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus states that as a Good Shepherd, He calls his own sheep by name, leads them out, walks ahead of them, and they follow him, because they recognize his voice. Jesus continues that He is the Gate to the sheepfold, and that whoever enters through Him will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. With these words and explanations, Jesus teaches us the responsibilities of a good shepherd. Why is this important for us to learn today? It is very important to know the responsibilities of a good shepherd, because as parents, grandparents, godparents, sponsors, guardians and adults, we are called to be shepherds to our younger generation and those under our care. It is our duty to know and recognize them, lead them, walk with them, and have them follow us as stated by Jesus in today’s gospel reading. Remember that a good shepherd protects, nurtures and guides his flock, this is why our responsibility as adults or elders in the Catholic Church today, is to be true leaders, parents and guardians to our youth, as we answer our call to discipleship in service to God and His Church. This is exactly what Saint Peter did in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, verses 14, and verses 36 to 41, when he called on his fellow countrymen and countrywomen to “Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins; and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. My dear friends in Christ, are we good shepherds to our children today? As Christian parents, godparents or leaders, do we provide for, support, motivate, and protect our children and all those under our care? As gatekeepers of God’s treasures, do we protect all entrusted to us, and do we keep predators out of their lives or away from them? Today’s first reading and gospel reading reminds us to be good shepherds and the gate to save and protect our young people, so as to help them find good pasture, and to bring them closer to God. So how can we become better shepherds? We can become better shepherds of God’s flock by listening to God’s voice calling us in the Scriptures, and through the teachings, doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. We can become better shepherds by learning more about God as taught us in our Catholic faith, so that we can follow Christ better, and live out His gospel and teachings. And lastly, we can become better shepherds by deepening our faith in God, so as to withstand the temptations of the devil and the world, and stand firm in God. Amen!
