Fourth Sunday of Easter – A

THE SHEPHERD AND HIS FAMILY

Once a young man told me he discovered something about himself. His relatives revealed to him that he was not a natural son of his parents but an adopted child. After regaining his composure at the shocking news, he began to thank the Lord that his adoptive parents loved him without reserve. His father made him feel that he was the apple of his eye, until his father died some years ago. His mother not for a single moment, showed him he was not her own dear son. He told me that knowing he was adopted made him even more grateful to the Lord and his parents.

Today’s second reading (1 John 3:1-2) emphasizes the conviction of the writer that God’s love is overflowing that he even made us his children: “Beloved, we are God’s children now…”  Though born estranged from God, we are now brought close to his heart by adoption. And this happens to us because in his great love, the Father has sent the Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to save us: “There is no salvation through anyone else…,” except through the Son who embraced us as his brothers and sisters.

God’s Word today continues our Easter joy by making us know for sure what the Resurrection unfolded for us. Jesus Risen from the dead breaks open the household of the Father and makes us all part of the family of God through the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel speaks of the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11-18). Though the image is that of shepherd and his sheep, we can see in the description the Lord gives of the shepherd that a good shepherd does not treat his flock as mere animals.  In fact, he is closer to his sheep than we can ever imagine. “I know mine and mine know me… I will lay down my life for the sheep.”  Even the sheep outside the flock are a special focus of his interest and love: “These also must I lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

The Good Shepherd considers his flock his family; he is the head and they are the members. The image is all about animals that need tending, but the essence is that of true love for the people the Lord has adopted as his own.  The Good Shepherd makes the flock feel part of his own life. They belong to him and he loves them as his own family.

With the Resurrection we have new relationship with God. it is not a relationship of fear and punishment, of correction and reprimand, of hide and seek. You don’t do that within a loving family.  Rather it is a relationship of deep unity that makes us feel we are children worthy of love although we are sinners still.  It is a relationship of untiring concern for the good of all; a relationship of joy that our Shepherd, is walking with us and leading us all to the Father’s embrace.

Like my dear friend, let us feel the joy of being adopted children of the Father.