Providence Spirituality

Gospel of April 21, 2024 according to John 10:11-18
I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.

Reflection on the Gospel  of April 21, 2024 –

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 10:11-18 –

Every year, on the 4th Sunday of Easter, the liturgy speaks to us about the Good Shepherd. In the Old Testament, the symbol of the shepherd leading his flock represents the kings and leaders of the tribes of Israel. In the New Testament, the same image speaks also about God, the shepherd of his people: “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, leading the ewes with care” (Isaiah 40:11).

At that time, Jesus declared: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.”

Today’s Gospel highlights two important traits of Jesus’ role as a pastor. The first is knowing each other: the sheep “listen” to the voice of the shepherd and “follow” him. The same can be said about Jesus and his disciples: he knows them intimately, “by their name”. He loves them with a personal love, he treats each one of them as if they were the only persons on earth.

St. John, in his Gospel, emphasizes our individuality and how important we are for God. “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” We know by their name those that we care for, whether it’s family members, friends, colleagues, or anyone around us. By getting to know someone, we are able to love them and respect them. 

The second aspect of a pastor’s vocation in today’s Gospel is the following: The shepherd lays down his life for his flock; no one can take his sheep away from him.

Here we can tell the difference between the true shepherd who guides the flock and the hired man whose only motivation is his pay. Through this brief parable, we can also read about the life of men and women who spend their life among their flock, keeping a personal relationship with them, making each one of them feel unique. Unlike a director who leads from a computer screen, sitting on a desk, he or she invests time in conversing, visiting, and sharing food with them. He proclaims the Good Word without sparing his efforts, he knows how to listen and makes himself be heard. The Good Shepherd is one who cares, who takes the time to invest himself, who responds to the needs of one person at a time.

Sister Lucille Vadnais, SP.

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