Jesus the Lamb-Shepherd: Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Easter

My beloved parishioners,
I wish all mothers in our parish, whether biological, adoptive, foster or spiritual, a blessed Mother’s Day. May you enjoy the blessing that comes with saying Yes to the Lord. I pray for mothers with children and all who desire the gift of children, mothers struggling with infertility, deceased mothers and mothers with difficult health conditions, mothers in difficult family situations and mothers whose labor of love go unrecognized or underappreciated. May the Blessed Mother wrap you all with her mantle and comfort you.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is popularly called “Good Shepherd Sunday” because each year the Gospel reading is from John 10, the “Good Shepherd Discourse.” On this day prayers are offered for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, because priests and religious are visible manifestations to us of Christ in his role as the Good Shepherd. I ask that you pray for me, and all priests, for seminarians and those in religious life, that we may continue to strive to be like Jesus our Good Shepherd.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for us and leads us even when we meet with opposition, jealousy, and rejection (First Reading). He is also the Lamb who lays down his life for our sakes (Second Reading). The Lamb-Shepherd calls us to follow him, not blindly, but intentionally. This way of discipleship is not an easy road; it is one fraught with many difficulties and challenges. But it truly leads to eternal life, where the Lamb-Shepherd would wipe the tears from our eyes, there will be no more hunger or thirst, and we will drink from the springs of life-giving water. Of course our faith would be tested and our fidelity to Jesus called to question, but if we persevere we will receive the joy that Jesus promises. The challenges we face in life should never be conceived of as proof of God’s abandonment. Neither do they suggest that our discipleship does not have divine approval. Rather, they must be understood as characteristic of the Christian life lived in fidelity to Jesus our Good Shepherd. The apostles Paul and Barnabas show by their joy in the face of persecution that Jesus does not lead us around these challenging experiences but through them.

We sing in our Psalm, “We are his people, the sheep of his flock.” We belong to God, and he is our shepherd. The flock does not lead the shepherd; neither do they determine in what direction they go. They listen to the shepherd and follow in his lead. A shepherd might have many hired hands helping to tend the flock, but all of them only do so in trust – on behalf of the shepherd, who owns the flock. All the baptized have a responsibility to look after Christ’s flock. Thus they exercise their common priesthood. Priests, in virtue of their ordination, do so in a unique way, in persona Christi, because of their sacramental configuration to Christ. Let us pray that we might all take good care of the flock of Christ entrusted to us.

As announced at all Masses last weekend, I will be away from the parish from May 14 until June 30. During this time I will be attending Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. This is a 3-month course, but I have elected to do it in two iterations. This is the first phase. Fr. William will provide sacramental ministry at the parish while I am away. I am grateful to him for accepting to do so. Every other administrative need should be addressed to the parish staff. Please pray for our troops and me. You will be in my thoughts and prayers as well.

Pro Deo et Patria - For God and Country!