Fourth Sunday of Easter (A)

Good Shepherd Sunday

May 3, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41

Psalm 16 “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2: 20b-25

Gospel reading according to John 10: 1-10

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Homily: I am the Gate for the sheep

On this day, this Sunday is the Good Shepherd Sunday.  The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.  We also remember and acknowledge our frontliners (e.g., doctors, nurses, attendants, hospital staffs, social workers, those in the streets such as police and military personnel who handle order and peace for the safety of all, volunteers and many other unnamed heroes in this time of pandemic, against corona virus or covid-19) who shepherd our bodies, aside from our secular and religious priests, brothers and nuns, and bishops who shepherd our souls and bodies.    Like the true shepherds, the frontliners, they do not leave their posts just to serve and save lives of many victims of covid-19 virus.  They leave behind their own families just to work for the victims, and even to take the risk of being contaminated and died by this virus.  In the gospel, too, like a true and good shepherd, he sacrifices his self, he wakes up as early in the morning (at dawn) to take his herd of sheep to the green pasture to feed green grass.  He prepares himself and some protective equipment for the sheep in case they will meet along the way of stray wild dogs or robbers who steal the sheep. 

Jesus describes the good shepherd of the sheep through entering the gate of the sheepfold.  “Jesus said, ‵Amen, amen, I say to you whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.  But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep′.” (John 10: 1-2).  In the place where the sheep were gathered in the evening, there is a gatekeeper who watches the different sheep owned by different proprietors; for there are many owners of the sheep kept in that fold.  So the shepherds must recognize their sheep and the sheep recognize their own shepherd. The one who is truly a shepherd can enter at the gate of the sheepfold for he is their true shepherd. While the bogus shepherds use the fence, climbs walls, windows and anywhere else where they can enter, and not at the front door of the gate, for they are robbers and thieves to steal, kill and eat, and dress the sheep.

At the door where the gatekeeper is guarding the sheep, he let the true and right shepherd enters and passes by and leads its own herd out of the gate. “The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.  But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers” (John 10: 3-5).  In bringing out his sheep from the sheepfold, he usually calls their names or by their familiar identity or distinctive marks or other descriptions, and if all the sheep are out, he would be put himself in front to lead the flock.  He would also use his own voice or his inventive instrument so that the sheep could hear and follow him on the journey to find a new place where they could graze. The sheep only recognize the voice or instrument of their shepherd and nothing else.  The sheep also follow their shepherd because of the odor they can smell of their shepherd is like themselves.  As a shepherd, he disregards the heat of the day or the cold of night, even the dangers that posed upon not only to the sheep but to his life.  He needs also to be prepared and alert in case one or more of his herds lose or stray or do not follow the herds.  The sheep do not follow the strangers’ voice, but rather they ran away, for they do not recognize the strangers’ voice.

Jesus wanted to bring to the mind of the Pharisees their true identity and duty during the pristine time – to shepherd the people of Israel and to lead them to God.  “Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them” (John 10: 6).  Jesus was referring to the Pharisees when he described the differences of the two kinds of shepherds – good and bad or fake shepherd. But the Pharisees did not understand what Jesus was saying, for they strayed away from their true functions.  When time passed, they became corrupt and only their self-interest was their priority, they forgot their responsibilities to the sheep, only eat of it.  “What he is talking about,” maybe that was in their mind when they were asking about this figure of speech Jesus uttered.  They became false and bad or no longer shepherds of Israel.  They became what Jesus referred to as robbers and thieves.  

Jesus made more confusion to the Pharisees when he said and used another figure of speech that he is “the door” or “the gate” for the sheep.  “So Jesus said again, ‵Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them′.” (John 10: 7-8).  He used again a figure of speech, as a “gate,” he is the One who is watching and keeping the sheep in the sheepfold in the evening and then One who allows the true, right and good shepherd to go in and out the sheep from the fold in the morning.  Through him only the sheep can pass by, they cannot escape from him in the fold.  Those who came before him were not true, rightful and good shepherds but robbers and thieves.  He was not referring to the prophets of old who laid their lives for their sheep, but rather those marauders, robbers, bandits and thieves who disguised themselves as shepherds and sometimes as sheep but inside they were wild wolves who devoured the sheep. 

He made more stress of being the gate.  “‵I am the gate.  Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.  A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly′.” (John 10: 9-10).  Through this gate, anyone, any sheep, like us who enter into this gate (we could say the Church) will find safety and security. We can come in the evening to rest and go out in the morning and find green pasture to graze.  But the robbers and thieves, they use the walls, fence or anywhere in the sheepfold but not at the gate only to steal, to slaughter and to destroy.  Jesus the “Good Shepherd” and “the gate” for the sheep came to give life, to save lives and provide complete, joyful and happy life for his own sheep.

The same with our frontliners are true and good shepherds, too, for they do what they can to protect and save lives of those victims of corona virus (covid-19).  They are ready to offer themselves even to surrender their lives for the sake of the sick victims.  Mabuhay kayong mga frontliners!