4th Sunday of Easter (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 4th Sunday of Easter (B), May 6, 2006

"...The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"

We have seen in the Holy Week that has just passed how Jesus truly lived his mission to be the Good Shepherd. He called people to listen to His word and be counted as members of His flock. And the closest to Him in His inner circle were the apostles. When the time came for Jesus to lay down His life in obedience to the will of the Father, the apostles and all disciples who followed His counsels, fled and were scattered. This fulfills what is said in Scripture: when "the Shepherd is struck down, the flock scatters". But Jesus, with a strength and faith that is only fit of Him as God's Son, truly exemplified for us what it means to the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life life for his sheep.

As Catholics in the Latin Rite of the Church, we have the privilege of having the centralized leadership of a papacy. The late Holy Father, John Paul II, followed the example of Christ, and despite suffering a long illness, showed us very well what the role of leaders in the Church are called to be: good shepherds in the manner of Christ. How does this "shepherding" apply to lay people? Shepherding can mean simply as follows: to bear the ordinary sufferings of earning a living for a family; of doing liturgical ministry on weekends; of caring for a sick family member, or to perform sick or prison apostolate for the parish. Simply dying to one's self daily in view of the greater good is what is called of us. This is already leading by good example; of being good shepherds in the manner and example of Christ. Faithfully living out this call, and acting with endurance and patience in doing God's will is already proclaiming the Good Shepherd gospel to all.

This Good Shepherd Sunday, we can ask and pray to Christ, our Good Shepherd, to grant us His Spirit, that we may obtain the strength to imitate Him in his mission to shepherd the respective flocks entrusted to us. It is not easy at first, but with discipline, patience and the help and grace of God, it can be done well.