FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER C

[cappie]

When Jesus said that he was the Good Shepherd who would willingly lay down his life for the sheep, those against him said that he sounded like someone with a demon. Now they’re asking him to speak plainly about whether he’s the Messiah, whether he’s God’s chosen one who will set them free. He reminds them that he’s done that and they weren’t ready to hear it. The Good News that Jesus brings — as he changes what it means to be Messiah — isn’t of military revolution against Rome, but of overcoming the powers of evil and death themselves. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

When looking at this gospel passage today, it’s important to remember that God’s covenants with the Hebrew people are eternal. As John is writing, there is great conflict between the Jewish people who followed Jesus and those who didn’t. Jesus’ followers’ lives have already started to be impacted by their public professions of faith, and John is mad about it. When we hear Jesus say, “You do not belong to my sheep,” he’s not rejecting them or replacing them; his other followers are also Jewish at this point!

The focus of this passage is on those who are following Jesus, how he will give them eternal life, and how no one will be able to snatch those who follow him from his hand.

The final way we hear from Scripture about Jesus being raised from the dead is in our Second Reading from Revelation.   This book was written to Christians just starting to face persecution, and was meant to encourage them to keep their faith in Jesus and his resurrection.

This passage is a break from John’s prophecies about God’s judgment on those who persecute Christians. John doesn’t ever talk about Christians’ martyrdoms directly. During this interlude, those who have come out of the great ordeal — those who have faced persecution and death — are gathered around the throne of God, singing to Jesus.

Listen to how John’s heavenly guide describes them: “ They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor scorching wind will ever plague them, because the Lamb who is at the throne will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.” The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we hear the Good News of God’s salvation — redemption for the whole world, restoration to the fullness of health — with the image of a simple shepherd.  

That “the Father and I are one” means that Jesus, the good shepherd, is the very image of the Father, as Good Shepherd. 

This much-loved image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and our reading from John’s Gospel remind us to keep our eyes on him, to listen to him, to follow him, and to hold firm to our faith and our trust in him.  He is truly the Good Shepherd. He has laid down his life for us. His resurrection is the promise of ours. He calls us to live lives of faith, hope and charity, caring for our neighbour and for all creation. 

As we prayed in the Responsorial Psalm, let us rejoice and be glad, for “how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.” We are his people, the sheep of his flock.  

As we go from this place in these uncertain and unprecedented times, the message of today’s passage is to not give up, to keep the faith, and to have hope because Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

And on this Mothers’ Day, let us also give thanks for our mothers, and for all those people in our lives who have cared for us and shepherded us on life’s journey.