FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER C
IN THE EMBRACE OF THE SHEPHERD
JN 10: 27-30
MESSAGE
An old woman went daily to the bus station in a faraway province, patiently waiting for every bus coming from the city and looking intently at every arriving passenger. Years ago, her daughter bade her goodbye to join her husband in an unknown location and was never heard of again. In her mother’s heart, the woman longed for the day her daughter would finally return and wanted that she would be there at the same bus station when she ever did. Watching that story, I couldn’t help but shed tears.
In John chapter 10, the Lord Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd. Now it will be difficult to describe the shepherd’s relationship with the flock in our country of carabaos, goats and pigs. We have nothing similar to the professional shepherds of the Middle East and other countries. But the spirit of the shepherd Jesus talks about is none other than love which all of us can understand – love for his flock – much the same as the love of that old woman for the daughter she wants to embrace once again.
In fact, the love of the shepherd is even more intense. He does not only wait for the sheep to come to him. He calls them out, for they know his voice. He gives them life, by giving up his own life in their defense, in their protection. In the Cross and Resurrection of the Lord, we, his flock, are forever in the palm of his hands.
This Easter season is the revelation of God’s love and mercy towards his own, the creatures he considered his children, the children he adopted in his heart. But this is also an invitation for us who heed the Easter message to listen to his voice, to draw life from his heart, and to desire to be found only in his presence; to continue the conversion and transforming experience we started in Lent.
REFLECT
God’s love – we have heard it since our childhood; we have spoken about in volumes of books, homilies, teachings, and speeches. However, God’s love, the love of Jesus the Good Shepherd, calls for a response of hearts that listen and follow him. Will you be willing to return and experience the warm embrace of the Shepherd?
