Dear Friends;

Today is the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. We find three dimensions in the readings of the liturgy of the word, namely Christological, ecclesiological and eschatological.

First of all the Christological dimensions. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish” (Jn.10.27-28). Christ is the good shepherd and we are His sheep who listen to what He says. He looks after His flock and gives His life for them because He cares deeply for those whom the Father has given Him. He has laid down his life for each one of us.

Secondly, we have the ecclesiological dimension in today’s readings. Christ, the Good Shepherd, is present today in the church. This dimension is referred to in the first reading. Paul and Barnabas told the Jews, “The Lord has commanded us saying, I have set you to be the light for the gentiles so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth”. (Acts.13.4-7). Therefore they answered the objections which the Jews, through jealousy, put to them in order to prevent the preaching of salvation even to the gentiles. Love of Jesus filled the hearts of Paul and Barnabas to the extent that the difficulties encountered by them never became an obstacle to their preaching.

Finally, there is eschatological dimension. This is seen in the second reading of today, which is taken from the Book of Revelation. The sheep represented in heaven as “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and people and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” (Rev.7.9). They were those who have come out of the great ordeal. The sacrifice of the Good Shepherd, who gave His life for His sheep bear fruits. Those who listen and follow the Good Shepherd will be rewarded with joy and eternal happiness in the life to come.

Today is also known as Vocation Sunday. The promotion of Vocations to priestly and religious life must be the joint effort of all, by priests and religious themselves by their example and invitation, of families by their appreciation of the gift of a vocation to one of their members and of all the people of God, by their fervent and constant prayer. Let us encourage the priestly and religious vocation in our midst.

Fr. Chris