Sunday Reflections
4th Sunday of Easter year A ( Good Shepherd Sunday)
Shepherd, Do you smell like your flock?
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (10:1-11)
Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
2. Today, the 4th Sunday of Easter is the Good Shepherd Sunday, a day of prayer for vocation to the consecrated life. The first two readings dwell on the divine identity of Jesus, as Lord and Master (Act 2,14, 36-41) and his humility in accepting death for the salvation of humankind (1Pet2:20-25). These qualities help today’s gospel to present Jesus as the good shepherd per excellence. In the gospel, Jesus makes a comparison between himself, the good and the other leaders, the shepherds. The bad shepherd is seen as a thief and brigand. He comes to steal, to kill and destroy. The good shepherd on the other hand is ever ready to lay down his life for them. He distinguishes himself in three ways: He feeds the sheep. He defends the sheep. He takes personal interest in each sheep to the extent of knowing each one by name.
3. Feeding the sheep or feeding on the sheep: the shepherd’s principal task is making sure that his flock is well fed. He lives for the sheep. We know of herdsmen who move from forest to forest under sun and rain with their flock with the sole intention of feeding the flock. They can climb mountains and hills to locate pastures and water sources without counting the risk. Those are the good shepherds, that is Jesus. Jesus compares this sacrificing attitude to that of shepherds who are merely after their salary. He calls them hirelings. Their concern is money not feeding the sheep. Ezekiel 34 spoke of the shepherds who feed on the sheep instead of feeding the sheep. They are the modern day rogue preachers and rogue leaders in the society. The preachers among them use fear and threats of misfortune to extort money from their congregations. They use the Word of God as instrument of terror instead life giving power. Today’s gospel invites us to be on our guard against such wolves in sheep clothing.
4. Defending the sheep or oppressing them: Jesus speaks of the good shepherd who confronts wild animals, risking his life to secure his flock. David in the Old Testament stands out as the shepherd that defends his flock. As a youth he put his life on line to confront Goliath in order to save Israel. Jesus says that he himself is that good shepherd and that he lays down his life for his sheep. He comes that they may have abundant life. Compared to the good shepherd are the bandit shepherds. We have many such shepherds in the church and society today. They invent ideas and practices that only endanger their flock and enrich them. They recommend long fastings or its monetary equivalent to those in distress. One person told me that he was told by a man of God that to solve his problem, a nine month pregnant women must fast on his behalf for seven days andthat the messagewas coming fromGod. Finding such people would almost be impossible for him. He must therefore pay for the shepherd to find the people. This is a clear case of killing, stealing and destroying the flock. Today’s gospel invites us not to follow such marauders in the name of God.
5. Taking personal interest in the flock or being high-handed: Jesus speaks of the good shepherd who knows each sheep by name and carries the weak on his shoulder, who goes before the flock and whose voice the sheep recognize. Ezekiel 34 speaks of bandaging the wounded and looking for the stray. Today, in many churches and faith groups, one finds shepherds who have become demi-gods, inaccessible and living in ivory towers and palaces, building business empires and living like kings. Against such impostors, Pope Francis advised that a good shepherd must have the odor of the sheep. How can one have the odor of the sheep if it is difficult for the sheep to have access to him. Today’s gospel is a critic against shepherds who have lost touch with reality, who are no longer working to save souls but whose principal interest is draining the poor of their hard earned money. The gospel is an invitation to the leaders of the church and society to be tender-hearted and caring towards their congregations.
6. Jesus is the shepherd and Lord of your soul. You must have him as the ultimate guide for your salvation. This means that while you listen to preachers you must only follow Christ and not the preachers. He said in today’s gospel that the sheep do not follow thieves, brigands and strangers. Be wise enough identify these class of men of God who present themselves to you as sheep but are ravenous wolves, coming to kill, steal and destroy. Pray for authentic vocation to consecrated life. Support and encourage your children and relations to answer the call to religious life.
©Vitalis Anaehobi 26/04/26
