Fourth Sunday of Easter (C)

 

Fourth Sunday of Easter (C) [Jn 10:27-30]

11.05.2025

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Readings: (1) Acts 13:14.43-52 (2) Rev 7:9.14-17

1.    Theme in brief:

Relation of the ‘sheep’ (disciples) with the Shepherd (the Risen Lord)

2.    Focus Statement:

In order to be faithful ‘sheep’ (disciples) of our Good Shepherd (the Risen Lord) we have to listen to his voice by resisting other contrary voices and follow him, not anybody else.

3.    Explanation of the text

The kings who were the leaders of Israel were called shepherds. In the tenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus claims that the promise made by God through the prophets of OT to shepherd his people in a far excellent manner than some of the wicked kings of Israel, is being fulfilled through his own ministry. In this chapter Jesus portrays himself as the God Shepherd, that is, an ideal or noble shepherd who genuinely cares for his ‘sheep’ in contrast to those bad shepherds (bad leaders and kings) of Israel or maybe the scribes and Pharisees who were the religious leaders in his time. It deals with the characteristics or role of Jesus the Good Shepherd in relation to his ‘sheep’ (disciples or believers) and vice versa. Today’s gospel begins with the two important characteristics of the sheep or it speaks about the relation of the ‘sheep’ with the Shepherd: (1) their listening to the shepherd’s voice and (2) their following of him because of his intimate knowledge of them (10:27).

One of the important qualities of the faithful sheep and a proof of close relationship between the shepherd and the sheep is to listen to and recognize the voice of the shepherd by becoming familiar with that voice. In Palestine of those days and in our societies even today it is common to give names to domestic animals and they respond to their name by recognizing the familiar voice of their master. In John’s gospel, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as a faithful ‘sheep’ (disciple) who recognized the voice of the Shepherd ((Risen Lord) instantly when she heard him calling her by her proper name, “Mary” (20:15-16). Since she was familiar with his voice or attuned to his voice because of her close association with him, she immediately discerned (recognized) his voice. The synoptic gospels also speak about the need to listen to Jesus. At the transfiguration of Jesus, all the first three gospels record the voice from heaven urging the three disciples to listen to Jesus (Mt 17:5; Mk 9:7; Lk 9:35). Here “to listen” implies obedience and submission to his teaching and imitation of his example.

Secondly, according to today’s text, imitation of the Shepherd by the ‘sheep’ (Risen Jesus) and their deeper knowledge of him is the reason why they readily follow him. Instead of saying that his sheep follow him because they know him, in the present text Jesus says that his sheep follow him because he knows them (10:27). It is precisely because the sheep know that the shepherd knows them intimately, they follow him. Naturally, they will not follow a stranger whose knowledge about them is minimal. This word “to know" is used throughout the Scripture not for knowing something intellectually or theoretically or for knowing someone as an acquaintance, but to describe the most intimate, personal and experiential relationship that one can have. It means an act of knowing through experience. John in his gospel defines eternal life as this type of experiential knowledge of the only true God gained through a personal intimacy with Jesus Christ whom he had sent into the world (Jn 17:3).

Jesus further declares another quality of any faithful sheep, that is, to follow him closely (10:27). Again, “following” Jesus is a common theme in all the gospels. Following the Lord means imitating him or his model and ideals, walking in his footsteps, accepting his way of life (including the necessity to carry one’s cross) and submitting oneself to his Lordship or dominion.  In addition, John’s gospel speaks about the sheep following the shepherd because of their experience of his intimate knowledge of them and also because of the familiarity of his voice. Thus, following Jesus means entering into a life of intimacy with the Lord that results in the sheep’s faithfulness to the Shepherd to the point of laying down their life for his cause (Jn 10:15).

Further, Jesus promises to give eternal life to his ‘sheep’ (10:28). As the Good Shepherd, he continues to share with his ‘sheep’ (disciples) God’s own life (eternal life) so that they do not suffer from spiritual undernourishment. The sheep’s intimacy with the shepherd results in the flow of his divine (eternal) life into them.

Then come the two great assurances given by Jesus the Good Shepherd: (1) his sheep will never perish, and (2) nobody can separate them or snatch them away from his hands as well as the Father’s hands (10:28-29). Jesus gives the assurance that his sheep are absolutely secure because they are under the protection of both the Father and the Son. Though the sheep is entrusted to the shepherd’s care, the Father has not withdrawn his protective hold. Jesus wishes that just as he and the Father are one (Jn17:21), his sheep also be united with him (as the Shepherd) in a similar manner (10:30).

4.    Application to life

By faith we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This bond of relationship established between Jesus and us from the time of baptism is deeply personal and intimate. Jesus compares this personal bond to the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep in his Palestinian milieu and says that it is based on the love that unites the Father and the Son (Jesus). Why should we take Jesus as our Shepherd? Jesus himself answers this question in today’s gospel: It is because he gives us (his sheep) eternal life; he promises that we shall never perish; and assures us (his sheep) that we are securely held by two protective hands – his as well as the Father’s. Jesus the Good Shepherd knows his ‘sheep’ very intimately, and wants that we remain as his faithful sheep.

How can we be his faithful sheep? Jesus says that we can be his faithful sheep (1) by listening to his voice and by resisting other contrary voices of the world; and (2) by following or imitating him closely and by resisting our tendency to follow somebody or something else more than we follow him. The implication is: if we really love the Lord, if we consider him as our Good Shepherd and want to remain as his faithful sheep, we (his sheep) have to listen to the voice of our Divine Shepherd (the Risen Lord). We have to be attuned to the sound of his voice. Only when we are attuned to his voice, we hear an inner voice that calls to accept the gift of salvation he offers to anyone who comes to him and believes in him, as Jesus insists again and again in the fourth gospel. We hear his voice telling us that God does not want to condemn anybody or does not wish that anybody should perish but all those who believe in him would be saved (Jn 3:16-17). We have to be familiar with his voice and recognize it amidst so many contrary voices of the world and wrong advice of our bad companions, or bad influence of the mass media. There is no dearth of misleading ‘friends’ or sycophants around us with ulterior motives who influence us to lean towards their selfish objectives or hidden agenda and tell us to forget our life’s purpose.

One of the essential attributes of true love or a close relationship between two persons is the ability to listen to the loved one. If two parties have to grow in a love-relationship, they have not only to speak but also listen to each other. Therefore, today’s gospel passage challenges us to become more and more a “listening sheep” of Jesus the Good Shepherd. In the midst of our busy schedule and the hustle and bustle of modern life, well equipped with the ubiquitous electronic media that are just a click away (such as mobile phones, TV, computer, internet), how can we actually get time to quieten our hearts and minds to listen to the voice of God? This is possible only if we live a life of self-discipline, set our priorities and try to live up to our life’s dream. Because of constant exposure to these media today, much more than bygone days, we are hungry for a message from God amidst our drooping spirit. When we listen to his Word in faith we believe that he speaks to us with a word of comfort amidst our frustrations and anxieties, a new insight, an enlightenment of the mind, a guidance to our confused state, a warning against our wrong choices and an awakening when we tend to our harden our conscience. This is exactly what we mean by saying the Lord ‘speaks’ to us and we listen to him with obedience of faith.

The Lord speaks to us not only through his Word but also through the guidance (good advice) given by our parents, good friends, teachers, spiritual guides, trustworthy counsellors, etc. The voice of the Risen Lord can be recognized also in loving relationships with those who are close to us because of which we share our problems/ struggles/ stress with them. They are God’s messengers through whom God may speak to us. If we stubbornly refuse to listen to the voice of trusted mentors, especially when they do it purely out of love for us, indirectly we fail to listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd himself, and become his unfaithful sheep. What will happen when the ‘sheep’ of Jesus turn to astrology and some dubious ‘babas’ (an Indian word for godmen) instead of listening to the Shepherd’s voice coming through his holy Word and messengers sent by him? We should keep in mind, if we totally harden our hearts to the voice of God and shut our conscience to the stirring of the Holy Spirit, evil or wickedness is just lurking at the door – just a click away like the electronic media.

Sin or self-centredness also makes us deaf to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Sin, especially when we justify it, shuts the inner voice of our conscience that pricks us when we do something wrong. When we deaden our conscience we tune in more and more to the seductive voice of the world coming from mass media, bad companions and corrupt practices. There is a lot of pressure on us from family members, companions, colleagues at our workplaces and neighbours to abandon our Christian principles and make compromises with the worldly standards. If we are really the Good Shepherd’s faithful sheep no one can drag us away from him, because the Father has entrusted us to his Son. Imitation or following of the Good Shepherd becomes a reality when we obediently conform our lives to his standards and resist strongly the worldly standards. Only when we strive to imitate him by following his ways including the way of the cross, we come to “know” who he is. We need to be sorry for the times we allowed ourselves to be swayed by the corrupt and dishonest ways of the world. As sheep, we have to be personally attached to him and his vision, and be highly motivated to imitate him even if it means going against the world’s standards widely propagated by the mass media and misleading companions.

Though the Risen Lord knows us so intimately, is it not so unfortunate to remain far away from him? In order to be familiar with his voice we need to know him as he knows us. Knowing him means to be intimate or transparent with him or to be in constant communion with him. This is possible only through a depth-level communication with him in prayer, meditation on the Word of God and recognition of him in all situations and among the needy and the suffering. The most supreme gift of the divine life (called “eternal life” in John’s gospel) which the Good Shepherd wants to give us (his ‘sheep’) cannot flow into us if we fail to be personally attached to him with a submission of faith. If we do so, we can experience here and now itself some glimpses of divine life possessed by Jesus as God’s Son (since John’s gospel speaks of eternal life in the present tense also).

Jesus assures us that we, as his sheep, are absolutely secure because we are under the protection of both the Father and the Son. The security that our Good Shepherd offers his sheep is in fact ‘insecurity’ from the world’s point of view, because those who follow him ardently may suffer opposition, persecution, intimidation and even death.  What is guaranteed by Jesus is not the security of trouble-free life, but security of eternal salvation. Are we happy with this guarantee? 

5.    Response to God's Word

What type of ‘sheep’ are we – faithful or unfaithful? Do we listen to his voice or listen most often to other contrary voices in the world? Do we recognize the voice of our Shepherd which comes through his Word, our own conscience and through the guidance of those who love us? Do we try to grow into intimacy with our Shepherd through prayer, reflection on the Word of God and active participation in the Eucharist? Do we follow our Good Shepherd or only other shepherds of the world (such as opinion polls, T.V. ads, misleading companions, peer pressure or other pressure groups, latest fads, etc.)? Do we feel secure under the protection of our Good Shepherd? What are the things, or what are the worldly standards, or who are the persons that are ready to snatch us away from the protective hand of our Good Shepherd?

6.    A Prayer

Risen Lord, our Good Shepherd, thank you for reminding us and making us aware that we have to be familiar with your voice and recognize it amidst so many contrary voices of the world. Grant that we may be able to recognize your voice in the Scriptures and in loving relationships with those who are close to us and guide us. Even though we may walk through the darkest valley, may your outstretched hands bring us to safety and security. Amen.