Jesus the Good Shepherd Knows Each of Us

05-08-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, CSSp

Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter the church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday. Today is also observed as vocation Sunday when special prayers are offered for the increase of vocations to priesthood and religious life. We pray especially for all priests in the Lord’s vineyard since priests are visible representation to us of Christ in His role as the Good Shepherd. Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and cares for them. Jesus uses the image of a shepherd because during His time in Israel a good shepherd is known as one who is ready to lay down his life for his sheep. Therefore, in using this metaphor Jesus brings it clearly home that He is that shepherd who gives His life for us His sheep.

The first reading presents us with the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. Their preaching in the synagogue generated two opposing reactions from the people, those filled with joy on hearing the good news and the violent reactions of those who reject the good news, the majority of them Jews. As a result, they turned to the Gentiles who were very excited to welcome the apostles. That scenario is not different from what still happens in our society today where the Gospel message is either rejected by many people who prepare to destroy the message and the messenger, while there are those who welcome the Gospel with great joy and prepare to share the testimony of the power of Jesus in their lives. According to John Bergsma a renowned Biblical scholar, “At all times, there are those who are embracing the church’s preaching with joy and others who are stirring up persecution, hatred and violence. Christ’s disciples, meanwhile, are always filled with joy and Holy Spirit, because they know, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake”.

In today’s Gospel, we are given three important key words, to hear, to know and to follow. By Jesus saying “My sheep hear My voice”, He tries to contrast our first parents Adam and Eve who instead of listening to the voice of God listened to the voice of the serpent. A good sheep must always hear the voice of the shepherd, if not the sheep ruins itself. To listen means to pay absolute attention to what the master says. To hear the voice requires much more than ordinary hearing, but a readiness to put into action what the voice of the Lord encourages us to do.

The third key word given to us today is “to follow”. Having heard the word, one has to follow what the master says. If you listen and do not follow then it means you listen to your own voice and do your own thing. But to listen and follow the master means you allow the good shepherd to lead. We follow the Lord because He leads us to green pasture, He leads us in the right direction and He leads us to His Father. When following with faith we can do no wrong because His grace supports us.

However, the most captivating words are “I know them”. To know means to have a good knowledge, to have a profound intimacy, a deeper understanding, a deep relationship not superficial, but complete. To say I know them, signifies I know them by name. This means Jesus our Shepherd knows us by name, He knows the core of our being, He knows our joys, our hopes, our grief, our weaknesses and our anxieties. He knows every single thing we go through now. He knows us the way we are. That is why we should not be afraid or ashamed to bring ourselves the way we are before Him. Let us come to Him with our brokenness, our fear and our anxieties. He will bandage us because He knows us through and through and would not be ashamed of our brokenness. Happy Sunday to you all.

Fr. Tony