4th Sunday of Easter 2021, April 25, 2021
The Word, Source: John 10. 11 – 18 Jesus — The Good Shepherd
11 I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.
13 This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.This command I have received from my Father.
REFLECTION
It can be well assumed that Jesus was quite familiar with three ways of life, among others, in Galilee and Judea. There were fisherfolk and farmers and sheepherders. Each of these can be seen or heard about in one place or another in the Gospels. Of course, we recall well that the shepherds are the first to see the baby Jesus there in Bethlehem.
Our reading today and our subsequent prayer find Jesus portraying himself as a shepherd –
the Good Shepherd.
And different from the versions of farming and fishing – here he puts himself actively in the picture.
The image I have chosen above was found on Google on a site with a novena to the Good Shepherd.
What touched me deeply was that in the picture –
the hands and feet of the Shepherd still have the marks of the nails.
The reality, the cost of being our Good Shepherd.
We pray that we may be touched by this reality of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.
MY PRAYER
Quiet yourself in God’s presence and pray Psalm 23 slowly, over and over.
The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.*
You set a table before me in front of my enemies;*
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless days.
