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4th Sunday of Easter, Yr. B (Good Shepherd Sunday): Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: Shepherds after the mind of Christ

Readings: Acts 4:8-12; 1Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18

Dear friends in Christ, today, the fourth Sunday of Easter, is called the Good Shepherd Sunday. The opening sentence of the Gospel of today points to this fact. Jesus is the Good Shepherd of our lives. He knows us profoundly and lays down His life for our salvation. Also, on this Sunday, the Church invites us to pray for vocations in our world: vocations to the priesthood, to the family life and to all good services to humanity.

By their vocations, bishops, priests, religious men and women are shepherds in our Christian communities. They take care of the spiritual and moral needs of the flock of God. By their offices, government officials are shepherds in our states and communities too; they care for our material needs and organize the political, economic, and social courses of our lives. Hence, it may not be wrong if someone says that the homily of today should be preached to these people listed here, including myself as a priest and a shepherd.

However, each one of us, as Christians, is a shepherd according to different degrees of assignments, services and relationships. Parents are shepherds in their families to their children and others who depend on them. Elder brothers and sisters are shepherds to their younger ones. Uncles and aunts are shepherd to their nephews and nieces. Medical doctors and nurses are shepherds to their sick patients. Professors and teachers are shepherds to their students. Businessmen and women and those who work in private offices are shepherds to their customers and other workers or employees. In fact, dear friends, we are all shepherds and sheep at the same time. So, the homily of today about the good shepherd touches all of us.

The gospel of today outlined the essential qualities of a good shepherd, which are already known to us. A good shepherd loves, cares and sacrifices himself (lays down his life) for the good of his flock. The first reading of today gave us a vivid demonstration of the power of the risen Christ, who is our shepherd. As a good shepherd, Jesus laid down his life for his sheep on the cross on Good Friday, and on Easter Sunday, He took it up again by rising from the dead. In the story of the first reading, through the power of His name, one of the sheep of His flock regained freedom and healing from sickness. Peter testified that it was in the name of Jesus that the crippled man was healed. He is the stone that the builders rejected, which has become the corner stone. There is no salvation anywhere else except in Him. There is no other name under the earth that can save us if not the name of Jesus.

Jesus is the shepherd that leads us from sickness to good health; He always wants to free us of anything that deprives us of the joy of our life. Therefore, dear friends, are you sick? Are you in a difficult moment? Be calm and open yourself to Jesus. He is the shepherd who will not abandon you to the power of sickness and difficulties. A good shepherd takes care of his sheep. He does not abandon them to be devoured or scattered by wolves, sicknesses, and worries.

Another quality worth noting in the gospel of today says: “the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. To underline the seriousness of this particular quality in the life of every shepherd, Jesus mentioned ‘laying down His life for His sheep’ five times in the Gospel of today. What does laying down one’s life for the good of the flock mean for a shepherd? The answer is boldly written in the life of Jesus. It means sacrificing of joy and comfort for the good of the flock; it means placing the good of the flock first in everything.

Parents who lay down their lives for their children are those who take care of the spiritual, moral and material needs of their children. They are those who will not allow their children to be lost to the influence of bad friends, they are always guarding them from physical, moral and spiritual dangers. They are those who will pass on good behaviors to their children, those who will be good role models to their children. Are you a role model to your children?

Medical doctors and nurses who lay down their lives for their flock are those who are patient with their sick patients, those who treat the sick with care, love, passion, sympathy and attention. Politicians and public office holders who lay down their lives for others are those who say no to corruption, those who treat their position with justice, transparency, sincerity, and integrity. They are those who represent the interest of the people they serve.  Businessmen and women who lay down their lives for others are those who treat their customers with love, dedication, and attention; they are those who do not cheat their customers, those who give to their employees what is due to them and place the interests of these employees first in everything. Teachers and professors who lay down their life for others are those whose sacrifice their comforts and joy for the good of their students, those to whom the good future of the students is not negotiable. Priests who lay down their lives for the flock of God are those who do not feed on the people, but love and treat them as Jesus willed.    

Dearest shepherds, let us ask the good Lord to help us to fulfil our roles as leaders and guardians of the sheep of God’s pasture. Let us be worthy role models to all those entrusted to us.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima