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

Theme: Shepherds After the Example of Christ

Readings: Acts 2:14a,36-41; 1 Pet. 2:20b-25; Jn. 10:1-10 

Dear friends in Christ, today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday—also known as Vocations Sunday. In the readings, the Church presents to us the image of Christ the Good Shepherd, the perfect model of true leadership. Jesus is the Shepherd of our lives: He knows each of us by name, protects us from the evil one, and lays down His life for our salvation. In the second reading, St Peter reminds us that Christ, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, has given us an example to follow through His love and sacrifice on the cross.

Therefore, the Church invites us to turn our minds to Christ and learn from Him the qualities of authentic leadership—whether in the family, in the Church, or in society. True shepherds care for those entrusted to them, protect them from harm, provide for their material, moral, and spiritual needs, and build relationships of love and trust.

Today, the Church also calls us to pray for vocations. Our prayers should not be limited to priestly and religious vocations; we must also pray for genuine vocations to family life and to every form of service that promotes the good of humanity.

This invitation to rediscover the qualities of true leadership is crucial because we live in a world where many leaders have forgotten—or misunderstood—the meaning of shepherding. Too often, leaders feed on the people instead of caring for them. We see thieves and looters in government and other sectors of society. We see family leaders who no longer take the spiritual and moral formation of their children seriously. We see Church leaders who have lost touch with Christ’s pattern of leadership.

A teacher once told his young students that he was their shepherd and they were his flock. He then asked them what a shepherd does for his flock. One child innocently replied, “The shepherd kills his sheep whenever there is a feast.” This simple answer reveals how distorted the concept of shepherding has become in our world.

In the Old Testament, to be a leader, king, or ruler meant to be a shepherd. Psalm 23, which we read today, beautifully depicts God as our Shepherd. Moses acted as a shepherd when he led Israel out of slavery: he fought for them, provided for them, and constantly sought their good. Many judges and kings followed this example, seeing themselves as servants. But over time, the idea of servant-leadership disappeared and was replaced by the mentality of rulers as lords. Leadership became a master–slave relationship. For this reason, God pronounced woes against the leaders of Israel through the prophets Jeremiah (23:1–8) and Ezekiel (34:1–15).

Today’s Gospel is Christ’s effort to restore the true meaning of leadership. A leader must be a shepherd—not one who destroys the flock, but one who cares for them and builds a relationship of love and trust. Jesus highlights several qualities of a true shepherd.

First, the shepherd enters through the gate, not by climbing over the fence. This means a true leader must be a person of integrity, openness, and transparency. Only someone with something to hide enters secretly.

Second, the sheep hear the shepherd’s voice and follow him because they trust him. Trust is essential in leadership. If the shepherd’s voice sometimes sounds like that of a wolf, the sheep will not follow. Leaders must earn trust through honesty and consistency. Parents must also earn the trust of their children; without trust, children will not listen to their guidance.

Third, the good shepherd calls his sheep by name. This implies closeness. A leader who is close to his people understands their struggles and knows how to make a positive impact. Parents who stay close to their children contribute meaningfully to their growth and wellbeing.

Fourth, the good shepherd leads his flock and goes before them. He guides them to green pastures and protects them from danger. A good leader seeks the well-being of those entrusted to him—materially, morally, and spiritually. He watches over them so that no harm comes to them. Like Christ, every leader should act as a door that protects the people under his care. If people cannot feel safe with their leader, that leader has failed in his primary duty.

Finally, like Christ, a true leader gives life to those under his care—and gives it abundantly. He provides for their needs, even at personal cost. Sacrifice is the mark of good leadership and good parenting. Parents must remember that their children’s needs are not only material; their spiritual and moral needs must also be nurtured.

In the second reading, St Peter refers to Christ as the Good Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, who suffered for His flock and left us an example to follow. In the first reading, we see Peter acting as a good shepherd by preaching the Good News to the lost sheep of Israel, correcting their errors, and leading them back to the sheepfold through baptism.

As we celebrate this Mass, let us pray for the grace to be true shepherds in our various roles—in the Church, in our families, and in society. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to learn from Christ the qualities of a good leader.

Peace be with you, and have a blessed Sunday.

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 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