Fresh Dew Media

 4^th Sunday of Easter, Year C (Good Shepherd Sunday): Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me.

Readings: Acts 13, 14. 43-52; Rev 7, 9. 14-17; Jn 10, 27-30

On this fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates Christ the Good Shepherd of our souls, reminding us that we are all like sheep in the Lord's pasture, which is the Church.

The gospel reading for this Good Shepherd Sunday emphasizes both the characteristics of the sheep belonging to Christ and those of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd of our lives, knows us by name, safeguards us from evil, and grants us eternal life, as stated in today's gospel. On the other hand, the reading mentioned that the qualities of good sheep include listening to the shepherd's voice and following Him.

Those familiar with domestic animals understand that a key trait is their ability to recognize the voices of their owners and those who treat them kindly. When Jesus refers to us as the sheep of His flock, He anticipates that we will exhibit the same quality of knowing Him, recognizing His voice, and following Him.

Understanding why a sheep must recognize its owner's voice is crucial. The wilderness is filled with numerous voices and sounds, many belonging to individuals and creatures that pose tremendous threats to the sheep's safety. These include thieves, bandits, wolves, lions, and other predators, all of which aim to harm unsuspecting sheep. Occasionally, these adversarial voices mimic the shepherd's call to deceive the sheep into danger and death. Therefore, any sheep that does not learn to identify and follow its owner's voice risks encountering fatal dangers.

Similarly, as members of Jesus' flock, we live in a world filled with competing voices. A significant challenge for many Christians today is the ability to discern the voice of Jesus or the actual voice that transmits the teaching of Jesus amidst the multitude of voices vying for their attention. It is important to understand that many of the dominant voices in the social space aim to distract Christians from Jesus' teachings, potentially leading them toward eternal separation from Him. Sometimes, these voices directly oppose Jesus' teachings or subtly distort them, often masquerading themselves as benevolent guides to humanity in distress.

Let us examine few ideologies propagated by some adverse voices that are prevalent in our society these days.

The word of God explicitly commands us not to kill; however, the adverse voices in our society advocate for the termination of human lives through practices such as abortion and euthanasia under the guise of compassionate support for women and the invalid. It is paradoxical that while these contrary voices advocate for the killing of unborn children, they simultaneously fervently defend the rights of pets to live, suggesting that they place a higher value on animals than on unborn babies. We must remain vigilant against these misleading voices.

Furthermore, these voices encourage individuals to 'follow your hearts'. This expression implies that one should base their moral decisions on feelings, emotions, and instincts rather than on rational thought and God’s wisdom and guidance. By promoting the idea of following one's heart, they imply that genuine happiness and fulfilment stem from heeding our emotional impulses. However, given the deceptive nature of human emotions or hearts, the Good Shepherd does not instruct us to follow our hearts; instead, He invites us, saying, 'Follow me, for I am the way, the truth, and the life.' A true Christian is called to adhere to the will of Jesus rather than succumbing to the fleeting desires of the heart, which, tainted by sin, often yearn for that which contradicts God's will.

Frequently, these voices also say, ‘Do whatever you like or whatever makes you happy; once you are happy, that is all that matters’. This mindset of pursuing personal happiness has led many people to adopt various sinful lifestyles in the quest for happiness. However, the voice of the Good Shepherd does not encourage us to follow our whims or seek happiness at all costs; instead, it instructs us to prioritize the kingdom of God and His righteousness above all else, cautioning that gaining the entire world while losing one's soul is a total loss.

Today's first reading illustrates how readily people can follow voices that oppose the teachings of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas preached the good news of Jesus to the Jews in Antioch, but the elders, driven by jealousy, quickly swayed the people against them, contradicting their message.

Beloved friends, if we remain committed to following the voice of Christ, our Good Shepherd, even in the face of persecution and death, we will be among those who will stand before God's throne in heaven, where He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, as revealed in John's vision in today's second reading.

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima