4th Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday) - May 15, 2011: Following the Good Shepherd

Click Here for the Mass Readings for the 4th Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday) - May 15, 2011 (Year A):

"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." (Jn 10:2-3)

The world often portrays Christianity, and especially Catholicism, as being little more than a collection of ancient doctrines and ethical rules. Subtle traces of this mentality can even be found in good Christians who, with the highly praiseworthy intention of being faithful to God, want Christianity to answer two big questions: “what must I believe?” and “what must I do?” While there is certainly a very practical, demanding, and concrete dimension to Christianity – one that requires knowledge of our faith and knowledge of how we are to act – neither Christianity nor salvation can be reduced to a faithful adherence to rules and doctrines. As the Gospel for this 4th Sunday of Easter indicates, we believe in and follow a living person – Jesus Christ, “the Good Shepherd” and “the gate” of salvation. Using these two images employed by Jesus, let’s look briefly at what they teach us about the person of Jesus and their importance for every disciple.

The Gate: In a somewhat unusual analogy for us, Jesus compares Himself to the gate of a sheepfold. As He does so, Jesus points out two aspects involving the gate. First, it's through the gate that the shepherd enters the sheepfold (while thieves “climb over elsewhere”). In other words, the sign of a true shepherd is that he approaches the People of God through the person of Jesus Christ, and also leads them back through Jesus - as no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. If someone does not enter and exit the sheepfold through “the gate” he is not a true shepherd, but a thief who “comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy.” Second, it's only through the gate that the sheep can enter the sheepfold and go out to pasture. The gate is therefore an analogy that tells us it is only through Jesus Christ that we can find safety, protection, life, and ultimately salvation. Jesus is revealed as the gate of salvation.

The Good Shepherd: Although this Sunday’s Gospel ends just before Jesus actually says of Himself, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), certain qualities of a true shepherd are highlighted in this week’s Gospel. Firstly, the good shepherd calls out to his sheep by name. God knows us intimately, and by name! That’s absolutely amazing when we consider the enormity and expansiveness of creation. In fact, this past week I had such an opportunity while visiting the Vatican Observatory and seeing the numerous discoveries made by astrophysicists in recent years – not to mention gazing out at the universe through a telescope.  We are so infinitesimal, and yet God knows each of us by name – now that’s awesome! Secondly, the good shepherd leads his sheep to pastures of abundant life by walking in front of them and speaking to them. Jesus leads by example - He doesn’t simply leave us a set of rules and directions indicating the way to eternal life. Rather, He goes before us and endures the full gamut of trials along the narrow and difficult way of the cross, and He beckons us to stay close to Him as we traverse this same path, so we may not go astray but eventually reach eternal life. And Jesus speaks to us – He speaks to us through prayer, people, and the events of daily life, but above all through the Scriptures and through the Church - “He who hears you, hears me” (Luke 10:16).

So “Good Shepherd Sunday” (as the 4th Sunday of Easter is sometimes referred to) shows us that our faith is always in a living person who knows us, personally calls out to us, and asks us to trust and imitate Him as He leads us to true happiness and rest. Jesus is both the “the gate” of salvation and the Good Shepherd who calls all of His disciples to know Him intimately with the heart, to heed His voice, to recognize Him in our day to day life, and to be “shepherds” to others by leading them to Christ. Discipleship isn’t something we “do” from time to time because we feel obliged to – rather, it’s a response born from the experience of God’s superabundant goodness and merciful love that opens up for us a new way of life. May the Lord renew within us a personal knowledge of His love, and through us draw countless people to Himself! God bless you.

(Photo of the "Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep" courtesy of Dcn. Lawrence Lew, O.P.)