(Homily for 4th Sunday of Easter Year C)
Vocation Sunday
Once again this Sunday we have listened to the
Acts of the Apostles and the Apocalypse, the first speaks of “a multitude” that on the words of Paul
and Barnabas accepted the faith and are therefore destined for eternal life;
the second instead speaks of “a great
multitude” who stand before the throne and are led by the Lamb-Shepherd to
the springs of living water. Christ the Good Shepherd, the perfect Guide who
offered his life, is the “slain Lamb” spoken about in the second reading, and
he is always alive, “the Living One”, mysteriously, but really present in his
Church. In and through the Church he continues to accomplish his mission of
salvation. We see Paul and Barnabas in the first reading, who proclaimed the
word of God first to the Jews and later to the pagans, so that the message of
salvation will reach all nations.
This fourth Sunday of Easter
is commonly known as the Sunday of the “Good Shepherd”, in all the three cycles
of the liturgical year we meditate on the Gospel passage from the tenth chapter
of St. John’s Gospel, therein the
allegory and similitude of the shepherd, sheep, flock etc. abound. At the
center of this similitude is the solemn affirmation of Jesus: “I am the Good
Shepherd” (Jn. 10:11.14), or even as
the perfect Shepherd, the true Shepherd, for
in him subsists all the qualities of a good Shepherd. More importantly, the
Good Shepherd is the symbol that is at the center of today’s liturgy. The Good
Shepherd that knows his sheep and gives them life (Gospel). The Good Shepherd,
that desires to save all, both the Jews and Pagans alike, and to all he offers
his life (First reading). The Good Shepherd, that shepherds his sheep not only
on this earth, but also in heaven, for he leads them even to springs of living
water (Second reading).
The first reading (Acts 13:14, 43-52) is a continuation
of the Acts of the Apostle Series, and Acts gives a wonderful picture of the
Christian community after the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It brings to the fore the positive impact
of the resurrection experiences on the apostles and the early church. This
passage presents the audacious preaching
of Paul and Barnabas at Antioch of Pisidia during the first missionary
journey. They preached in the synagogue and a certain number of both Jews and
Gentiles came to believe in their words of preaching, while others rejected
their message. On the face of rejection and opposition, they decided to turn to
the Gentiles. Indeed, the episode here reveals in no small way, that the
preaching of the word of God has no promise of success. That notwithstanding,
the word must be proclaimed even in the face of acceptance or rejection by men (cf. Ez. 3:5-7). The word of God is to be proclaimed faithfully in and out of season.
For it is the desire of the risen Lord to have the message of the Good News
preached to all: “go and preach the gospel to the whole world” (Mk. 16:15; cf. Mt. 28:19-20),
because the Good Shepherd desires not to lose any of his sheep.
In the second reading (Rev. 7:9, 14b-17) we see the imagery of sorrow that has been turned into joy, this is
orchestrated by the experience of the martyrs who have come out of the great
tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb. As such, the imagery of sorrow that has been turned into joy situates
the passage well into the context of the whole Easter event. Furthermore, collocating their suffering and
sanctification in the Blood of the Lamb, the author reveals the connection of
their tribulation with the Paschal mystery. The phrase “the blood of the
Lamb” evidences the Paschal imagery. Towards the end of the passage, the author
introduced another imagery that of the Shepherd, for the Lamb is the Shepherd
who will guide the martyrs to springs of living water.
The Gospel (Jn. 10:27-30) is taken from the tenth
chapter that began with the discourse on the good Shepherd. It is typical of
John to re-introduce an earlier theme, for it to be developed further. Be that
as it may, the earlier discussion on the Good Shepherd dwelt on the gate and
the Shepherd, instead this passage dwells
on the relationship of the sheep and the shepherd and the eternal life attached
to the discipleship, for this Jesus said in the present: “everyone who
believes has eternal life” and again “anyone who eats my flesh and drink my
blood has eternal life” (Jn.6:47.54). He
is the eternal life and he is in our midst. Moreover, he gives eternal life, not
only in the here, but also in the hereafter, because the assurance that they
(sheep) shall not perish or be snatched out of his hand was repeated for three
times.
To understand this brief
passage of the Gospel in in-depth we cannot but make reference to the preceding
verses, where the Jews with provocation, said to Jesus: “How much longer are
you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ tell us openly” (Jn. 10:24); but Jesus replied: “I have
told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name are my
witness” (Jn. 10:25), and he
concluded on a sad note thus: “but you do not believe, because you are no sheep
of mine” (Jn. 10:26). In other
words, the Jews were interrogating Jesus neither with the intension to be
enlightened nor to believe in him, rather they were in search of something to
accuse him of or to condemn him. Little wonder, the passage of today begins with
Jesus’ affirmation thus, “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I
know them and they follow me; and I give them eternal life” (vv. 27-28).
However, we cannot but re-emphasize
an important element emerging from the passage about following the Shepherd
(discipleship), and that is the fact
that, to hear and respond to Jesus’ word is the decisive element for man’s
acceptance by God on the Last Day (cf.
Lk. 12:8-9). As we heard in the passage, the unity of the Father and the
Son was intensified with the Son’s response. Or better, the Father and the Son
are one because of the Father’s call and the Son’s response. As such, for a sheep to be united to the
Shepherd, the sheep must align to the words of the Shepherd.
In Jesus subsists all the
qualities of a Good Shepherd, for:
● He is the promised messianic
Shepherd (cf. Ez. 34:8.11-12 Ps. 23), he
was prefigured by king David and announced as the “light of the people”, that’s
not only for the people of Israel but for all men, “I have made you light to
the nations, so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts of the earth” (Acts 13:47) as in the first reading.
● He is the perfect Shepherd,
the true Shepherd, because he is the enlightened Guide, “I am the light of the
world”. He leads to the truth, while the Pharisees are “blind guides” (Jn. 9:40-41).
● He is the perfect and true Shepherd because he not only nourishes,
protects and guides, but above all he offers his life for his sheep and Jesus
repeats it three good times in the tenth chapter. Jesus is therefore the Good and the True
Shepherd: For he gave his life for his sheep and won victory over death through
his resurrection.
In the history of the chosen
people (Israelites) you often speak of the mirabilia Dei, of the great and
wonderful things God did in favor of his people. Similarly, we can talk about
the mirabilia
Boni Pastoris as orchestrated in three dimensions or the three
characteristics of Jesus, as the true Shepherd and perfect Guide of the soul
thus:
a) “I know my sheep”, He
“knows” his sheep, and not only that, he protects and loves them. There is an
intimate vital communion between Him and his disciples. The communitarian and social character of faith do not in any way
diminish the personal character of the relationship between the Good Shepherd
and every one of his sheep. For in the Jewish language to know implies to
love, to desire the good of the person. In the Gospel of John to know can be
identified almost with belief.
b) “I give them eternal life”,
He gives them eternal life, that is, he gives the divine life that prevents
death and eternal perdition. The greatest gift that God has given us is the
gift of life, not just life but eternal life. Little wonder, in the second
reading John tell us: “The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their
Shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water” (Rev. 7:16). We may well affirm that, as the earthly life is the precious gift of
the Father, eternal life is a stupendous gift of the Son, the risen Christ.
c) “No one shall snatch them out
of my hand”, there is no power, human, angelic or diabolic above the power
of the risen Christ, a power that Christ has received from the Omnipotent
Father. Men can cut off the life-wire of
this life, but they cannot snatch the sheep (his own) from the hands of the
Father and from the hands of Christ.
On the other hand, there are
three characteristics of the flock of Jesus or his disciples, emanating equally
from this passage:
►First, “they listen to my
voice”, his true disciples are those who are docile and disposed in
welcoming and accepting his words, teachings and invitations. They listen with the attitude of trust and
humility.
►Second, “they follow” Jesus
the Shepherd, following him entails walking on his footsteps, having him as the
ultimate reference point and putting into practice his teachings.
►Third, “they know” equally
the Shepherd (cf. Jn.10:14) and He
knows them, there is a reciprocal
knowledge between the Shepherd and his sheep. This reveals that between
Jesus and his disciples there is not only a communion of thought, “Make your
own the mind of Christ” (cf. Phil. 2:5),
but also a sharing of existence: the life of the Father that is transmitted to
the disciples through the Son. And by
inference, as his disciples, do we listen obediently to his voice? Do we follow
him? And do we know him as he knows us?
The mystery of Christ and mirabilia
surpass the human mind and thought. Little wonder, the New Testament employed
the use of many images to express something of his infinite richness. It
presents Christ as Master and Prophet, God and Lord, Light and Life, Alpha and
Omega, Savior and Emmanuel etc. Above all, one
of the most sublime titles or images of Jesus is that of the Good Shepherd, an
image that captures vividly well both his divine and human origin. He is
the Good Shepherd for love of us, and in the same vein, we are expected and
indeed invited to become good sheep or better good followers of the Good
Shepherd.
Above all, today as we
celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us pray so that, all in
their specific calling may realize their primordial vocation as God’s children
and the mission of proclaiming the message of Salvation, in accordance with
one’s calling and the gifts received. It was Pope Paul VI who desired to
dedicate this Sunday, commonly known as the Good Shepherd Sunday, to the Sunday
for Vocations (especially for priests and religious), and that is the reason
behind our celebration of the World Day of Vocations today. And as we celebrate
Vocation Sunday we pray for all those who are Shepherds in and for the Church
that they may continue to be authentic imitators of the Good Shepherd! May the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for us continue to protect
us from the attacks and darts of our salvation enemies!! Amen!!!
(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)
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