FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YR A
Acts 2:14,36-41; Ps 23
1st Pt 2:20-25; John 10:1-10
JESUS OUR SHEPHERD AND GATE TO GOD’S BLESSING
Today we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday and also a day for vocation. The gospel of today is John 10. But before we begin, we must take note that it must be read in the context of John 9, where Jesus heals the man born blind.
Our gospel begins with Jesus using the figure of speech belonging to animal husbandry to teach about who a good shepherd is. In the first century those who kept sheep belonged to co-operatives. This was the reason for building enclosures and the need to hire a gatekeeper. The gatekeeper will only allow the right shepherd to come in for his sheep fold. Anyone who is not a shepherd would only have to jump over the enclosure or beat up the gate keeper to have access to the sheep.
The true shepherd goes through the gate calling his sheep by their names and they come to him when they hear his voice. He then leads them to pasture for the day. By this, Jesus identifies himself as the true shepherd. What he stresses here, is what he is not. He is not a thief or a bandit who would come to steal the sheep. He knows them by name and they know his voice and because of that, they would not go after a stranger. Carefully reading from John 9, we see that Jesus is clearly talking about the Pharisees who refuse to recognise the man who has just been healed. As leaders they had shut the door to someone like the blind man.
But in John 10:7-10, he identifies himself as the gate and the one whose voice the sheep hears. This means that he is the gate and at the same time the shepherd of the sheep.
The Pharisees who were supposed to be the gatekeepers of the kingdom of God, had shut the door to many, especially the man born blind in John 9. But this man has just found the gate to the kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. Many of us have had doors shut in our faces but in Jesus Christ new and better doors are open to us. Jesus is not the gatekeeper but the gate itself to the Kingdom of God. The gate is a point of entry into a place. Jesus by declaring himself the gate becomes our “password” to have access into the blessings and benefits that heaven has to offer. As the gate keeps the sheep together and safe from thieves, so Jesus keeps our lives safe. Jesus keeps us safe from all that may destroy us. Jesus is the only door to our salvation and joy.
The gate is not only a point of access, it is a point of authorised, legitimate and legal entry. This is because there can be a lot of routes to have access to a place but only one is the legitimate one. Jesus who is the gate, is the legitimate and authorised point of entry into the kingdom of God and to the blessings of God. Anything you receive from anywhere or from anybody apart from Jesus, is not of God and it would become an albatross on your life. It is only through Jesus that we receive true blessings of protection and grace.
The shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know his voice. Now he is not only the true shepherd, he is the gatekeeper of the fold. It means that he is the shepherd of the whole sheep fold. Jesus is the shepherd of all of us. You may be Catholic, Methodist or Pentecostal, Jesus is your door to greener pastures and he is your shepherd who cares for you. Regardless of your denomination Jesus is your gate and shepherd.
He says the shepherd calls the sheep by name. When it comes to name, it would be the shepherd who gives the name to the sheep. This would mean that the shepherd has ownership of the sheep. This ownership of each sheep was at the cost of the life of the shepherd. In John 10:10 Jesus says “the thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The Greek word which is translated “to kill” is “kuo”. This may refer to the slaughtering of animals for sacrifice. By using this word, Jesus is describing the sacrifice that is done in the Temple. For Temple sacrifice, the sheep is taken, slaughtered and the one who sacrifices, takes some portion of the meat to consume. But here Jesus says unlike that kind of shepherd he gives himself up for sacrifice in place of the sheep and feeds the sheep with his body. He does not feed on us. He gains no glory or praise in our destruction but we are rather glorified by his sacrifice for us.
Jesus gives us names as he saves us. He gives himself for you. Even as you read this homily, he wants you to know how far he has gone for you. He did it for you. He knows your name and puts himself in harm’s way for you. He loves you.
We read also that the sheep knows his voice. To talk about knowing voice is to talk of recognition and intimacy. We must recognise the voice of Jesus in all the voices around us and within us. The voices around us trying to belittle our faith. Others with empty promises of happiness and making us feel left out when we don’t follow. But always remember they are never personal. They speak but would never call you by name. We must respond to his(Jesus) voice to build intimacy with our shepherd. Listen to his gentle inspiration and proposal. The only way to build this intimacy is to remain with him and in his care always. Shut yourself to the world and attach yourself to the loving shepherd.
May the Lord give us Leaders like the good shepherd
God bless you.
By Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
