Good Shepherd Sunday

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Mass Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
First Reading: Acts 13:14, 43-52
Psalm: Psalm 100:1-3, 5
Second Reading: Revelation 7:9, 14B-17
Gospel: John 10:27-30

Happy Mother’s Day to all our friends and family around the world who celebrate mothers today.

The fourth Sunday of Easter which is known as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” is also the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” As always, you can find the links to today’s readings as well as some excellent resources for vocations and discernment in the notes section and also on our website, www.deaconrudysnotes.org https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/. Today, we remember in a special way all our bishops and our priests. But the challenge of the Scripture today applies to all in leadership roles over God’s flock, the Church.

First, who is the Church? John tells us today in Revelations Chapter 7, verse 9, that the Church is the “great multitude”. God swore to Abraham his descendants would be too numerous to count. And in the Church, as John sees, this promise is fulfilled.<1>

That’s an awesome image, right? But it can also be an overwhelming image too. I think its very easy to get lost in a big crowd and feel completely alone. Have you ever felt that way? My brothers and sisters, I have good news! Jesus tells us that he is our Shepherd and he will watch over us, so we are never alone. In today’s Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 100, verse 3, reminds us, “Know the Lord is God, he made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the flock he shepherds.”

Indeed, in today’s Gospel, John Chapter 10, verse 27, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” How does that work, exactly? How does he speak to me? Well, I think that in order to hear his voice, we need to stop talking! Right? How many of us in our prayers do all the talking and never pause for a second for the Holy Spirit to respond? I think if we listen, we can hear him speak to us at every Mass, through the Bible, through our pastors, through our parents, through our friends, through the events of our lives, and through his creation all around us. C.S. Lewis reminds us that, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, He speaks to us in our consciences, and He shouts to us in our pain!”

How many of us, I wonder, miss out on the hearing God’s voice or the angels’ song because we won’t quiet our minds or we can’t set aside the pressures of life that we often place upon ourselves? How can we ever really discern God’s will if we don’t hear his voice – if we don’t stop, drop and roll, as the Life Teen ministry suggests, follow the links at the bottom of this podcast notes for more information about that.

But God’s voice is not only for us. That’s why we, as disciples, are challenged to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, just like Paul and Barnabas in today’s second reading from Acts Chapter 13. They “were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” and continued to preach to the Gentiles who welcomed them with delight (v. 48).

Our challenge is to become good shepherds and good sheep, good leaders and good followers.

Everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. So, our pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, etc. are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time and talents for their benefit protecting them from physical and spiritual dangers. Parents must be especially careful of their duties to give their children good example through the way we live our Christian lives.

We are called to be good sheep – not passive, blind and dumb creatures – no! We are called to be actively good sheep. As sheep we are called to be part of the community – our local parish. There we hear and follow the voice of the shepherd through homilies, Bible classes, pastoral counseling, spiritual direction and advice. We receive from our pastors spiritual food by regular participation in the Holy Mass, by receiving the Sacraments, and by attending prayer services, renewal programs, and missions. We cooperate with our pastors by giving them positive suggestions for the good of the parish, by encouraging them in their duties, by lovingly offering them constructive criticism when they misstep, and by praying for them. We also should cooperate with our fellow parishioners in the activities of various councils, ministries and parish associations.

Together we are a good herd – a good church – when we continue the ministry of salvation begun by Jesus – when we reach out to the margins and share the Good News. God gives us Faith through Baptism, and then he strengthens that Faith in Confirmation. He supplies food for the journey in the Holy Eucharist and in His Divine Word through Scripture. He sanctifies our society through good and holy marriages and through the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life. May we foster a spirit of vocations in our families so that our children know they have options to serve the community as priests, deacons and consecrated religious brothers and sisters.

Our readings today offer us both comfort and challenge. The comforting message is that we are in the hands of the Good Shepherd. The challenge is that pastors and lay people alike should be good shepherds to those entrusted to their care.

Homework! I ask you to reflect on the following questions. I encourage you over the next week to pause at least once a day and consider these questions through your prayer and meditation:

1. In what ways am I a good shepherd and in what ways must I improve?
2. In what ways am I a good sheep and how can I be a better, more active part of the community?
3. And our bonus challenge today is: May we pray for those discerning God’s call to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Notes
<1> Compare Revelation 7:9; with Genesis 15:5.

Resources

1. World Day of Prayer for Vocations https://www.worlddayofprayerforvocations.com/
2. Pope France Message for the 2019 World Day of Vocations
   http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/vocations/documents/papa-francesco_20190131_56-messaggio-giornata-mondiale-vocazioni.html
3. USCCB World Day of Prayer for Vocations http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/world-day-of-prayer-for-vocations.cfm
4. USCCB Discernment Tools http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/discernment-tools.cfm
5. 3 Steps for Discernment by Life Teen: Stop, Drop and Roll https://lifeteen.com/blog/discernment-in-3-easy-steps/
6. Fr. Mike Schmitz 4 Helpful Rules for Discernment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8n-1ATd1s&vl=en
7. Bishop Robert Barron How Should I Discern the Priesthood? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdxYHfExkfo