Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

We cannot walk alone and cannot be alone

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church

Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Sunday, April 21, 2013

In today’s gospel taken from John 10:27:30, Jesus  says: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” Jesus speaks of “My sheep” which means there are other sheep out there and that he is a shepherd. And the requirement for belonging to the sheepfold of Jesus is listening and hearing the voice of the shepherd: “My sheep hear my voice” Jesus says. And what distinguishes and marks Jesus out from other shepherds is this: “I know them” (that is, the sheep). The Lord knows his own. He knows his sheep. His sheep equally know him. In the midst of several and divergent voices and opinions  in today’s world, they are able to single out the voice of the shepherd and follow him.  

Shepherds were primarily called to care, to serve and to protect the sheep. They were absolutely responsible for the sheep. If anything bad happens to the sheep, the shepherd in-charge of the flock must produce some kind of proof showing it was not his fault. The Israel of Jesus’ time had two kinds of shepherds: shepherd-owner and hired one. The hired shepherd saw keeping the sheep as just a job. He moved from one flock to another depending on the condition of pay and service. Because he was a hired hand, he would not risk his life for the sheep. He cared less for the sheep. Seeing a wolf, a lion or a human intruder coming, he would abandon the sheep and flee leaving the sheep at the mercy of the invader. The hired shepherd’s knowledge of the sheep and the sheep’s knowledge of the hired shepherd is not intimate.  

On the other hand, there was the shepherd-owner. He is the good shepherd. It is a natural thing for him to risk his life in the defense of his flock. The sight of a wolf, a lion or a human intruder never scared him. He would fight to save his flock. The sheep had good care because the faithful shepherd had personal interest in their wellbeing. He saw that they find plenty to eat and drink because he was personally attached to them. As a  good and faithful shepherd, he fed the sheep, but a bad one fed on the sheep. 

The good shepherd-owner had a good knowledge of the sheep. He knew each of them. He can identify his own sheep no matter where they were. He can narrate personal story of each of them. He knew each of their strengths and weaknesses. He knew their mood. He knew the meaning of the sounds they made. The good shepherd knew what the sheep wanted and when they wanted it. During the day of grazing, his flock of sheep can mix and mingle with other sheep, but as the sun set, the good shepherd was able to identify one after another, all his sheep and led them home to safety. When he had led them to the sheep-pen, he would not go home. Instead, he made his bed across the entrance of the sheep-pen. So, no intruder will be able to enter the sheep-pen without passing through him. 

Jesus is the Shepherd-owner. He is the Good Shepherd. How do we know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd? In today’s Gospel, he says: “I give them (the sheep) eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” This is amazing! Our Lord is the Good Shepherd and only he can offer us eternal life. Under his protective wings, no one can ever take us away from him. Hidden under his shelter, we are absolutely safe and secured. No intruder is powerful enough to snatch us from him.  

The good news is that we have a Good Shepherd. We are not alone! We cannot walk alone! We have a lover that stands beside us daily. We are not like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. We have someone who has laid down his life for us and is ready to do it again and again. He cares for us so much. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your burdens on him because he cares for you.” He will not let devourers devour us. He’s with us in every step of the way. All we have to do is to listen to him and to follow him.