Homily – 4^th Sunday of Easter, Year B

–Fr. Timothy W. Castor

Each year, on this fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church invites us to contemplate our Lord Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd. In Year A, we consider who and what the Good Shepherd is in contrast to those who would harm and misuse the sheep. In Year B (our current year), we look at what the Good Shepherd has done and is doing for his sheep. Finally, next year, Year C, we will consider what the Good Shepherd will do for his sheep in the future.

In last year’s reading from John chapter 10, we learned that Jesus, as the good Shepherd, is the gate for the sheep. This expression reflects the ancient practice of shepherds by which they would construct a makeshift sheepfold out in the field: a circle of rocks with a gap in which the shepherd would lay once he had gathered the sheep into the fold. Quite literally, his body formed the gate through which the sheep had to pass if they wanted to get out of the sheepfold and with which a wolf or robber would have to contend if he wanted to get in. In making himself the gate for the sheep, a good Shepherd, then, really did lay down his life for the sheep, as Jesus says in today’s Gospel. But what Jesus means by this expression goes far beyond what even the best of shepherds would be willing to do.

A worthy shepherd would certainly risk his life — put his life on the line, so to speak — for the sake of his sheep. But would he really be willing to die for his sheep? Is the life of a dumb animal really worth more than that of a human being? Logically, no. But often, love does not obey logic. A shepherd’s love for his sheep may be so deep that he would be willing to die for them — and in so doing, seemingly cast all reason aside.

It would certainly seem that this is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, did for the human race. Is the salvation of mankind really worth the life of God’s only Son? From the standpoint of pure logic, we would have to say no. But God loves us so much that he refuses to be guided merely by logic. God knows that the sheep cannot save themselves — only the shepherd can do that. So, in order to save us, he lays down his own life on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He does this of his own free will, out of his love for us — the same love with which the Father loves him. "I lay down my life," Jesus says at the end of today’s Gospel, "in order to take it up again. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again." And this is certainly a good thing for us, because a dead shepherd is not much good to his sheep. Our blessed Lord lays down his life to save us from sin, he takes up his life and gives that new life to us in the power of his resurrection.

"I am the good Shepherd," Jesus says, "and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father." And how does the Father know Jesus? He knows him as his own beloved Son. Therefore, Jesus the Good Shepherd knows each one of us as the adopted sons and daughters of God. You see, we are more than just sheep — we are God’s children. "See what love the Father has bestowed on us," Saint John proclaims in today’s second reading, "that we may be called the children of God." What an awesome gift the Lord has given us: he leads us as his own sheep, but he loves us as his own beloved children.

As we share in divine filiation — divine sonship — we share in the ministry of shepherding God’s children. Bishops and priests participate in this role of shepherd in a special way. But perhaps there is no better example of this ministry of love than the vocation of the Christian mother. We honor our mothers today, and it is entirely appropriate that this should happen to fall on Good Shepherd Sunday. If you want to see a good shepherd in action, just look at the faithful Christian mother, guiding her children like sheep and always ready to lay down her life for them. This is truly a beautiful reflection of God’s love and I urge all who are still young and under the authority of their mothers to open their hearts to that love and allow it to transform their lives.

But God’s love is even greater and it’s transforming power even more profound. "We are God’s children now;" says Saint John, "what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." In other words, God’s love will transform us into his own image and likeness; we will share in his Divinity even as Christ, his only Son, shared in our humanity. A shepherd who can do all this truly is a Good Shepherd — the best of shepherds. May our hearts always be open and docile to his loving guidance and may we always be thankful for his life, death, and resurrection which makes our life possible.

© 2003, Rev. Timothy W. Castor