“THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.” (John 10:10)

Posted onAuthorJoseph148 Comments

By Rev. Fr. Innocent Maganya, M.Afr,
Tangaza University College

Every Fourth Sunday of Easter we celebrate the Good Shepherd Sunday. This Sunday is also the Sunday for vocations. Each year we read part of the Gospel of John 10 where Jesus uses two images. The first image is the image of the gate (John 10:1-10) and the second image is the image of the good shepherd (John 10:11-18). Although the image of the shepherd may seem to be clear to Jesus’s hearers that of the gate of the sheepfold is not so obvious. In today’s Gospel Jesus does not say that he is the gatekeeper, he says that he is the gate itself. The sheep cannot enter into the sheepfold without passing through the door, that is through him. There is no other way in or out. He is the door itself.

Why is Jesus called the Good shepherd? We often quote or sing part of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Our God is a God who cares for each and everyone, in a special way. He never leaves us alone. In him we are safe, we are secure, we lack nothing. He has shown this concern for his people throughout the salvation history. He is good to each and everyone and his goodness stands for ever. Because God is so good, he always sends shepherds and messengers to take car of his people on his behalf. But these human shepherds did not always act according to their mission. They became false shepherd as we read in Ezekiel 34. “Ah you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not the shepherd feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the failings, but you do not feed the sheep…” (Ez 34, 1-10). God is angry at those he gave the charge to care of his people on his behalf. In the second part of Ez 34 God says: “I myself will search for the sheep and will seek them out, I will feed them with good pasture, I will seek the lost, I will bind up the injured, I will save my flock, I will send on them showers of blessing, they shall live in safety, and nobody shall make them afraid…” (Ez 34, 11-31). In the end the Lord says: “You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture.” We are part of those for whom God cares. We are precious in his eyes and he knows each one of us by name.

Against the background of Ps 23 and Ez 34, we, the sheep of today, now understand why Jesus says that he is the Good shepherd. He is not like those who take advantage of the sheep, on the contrary he gives his life for the sheep. We can then make an easy connection between the Good shepherd Sunday and the Vocation Sunday. Because, like in the Old Testament God still entrusts the care of his people to human shepherds, human pastors. These are our pastors. We have seen, in these times of COVID 19, the important role they play in our Christian communities. We have seen how disoriented we are, when our churches are locked down and we cannot easily have access to them.

Thus said, they have been given the mission to care of the needs of God’s people, on behalf of God himself. Unfortunately, not all fulfill their mission according to God’s decree and plan. That is why Jesus remain the Good shepherd par excellence, the model to imitate. If human shepherds fail us, Jesus will never fail us. Jesus is very clear. He says that he is the gate that opens to a new life, the door that opens to the fulness of life. He says: “I came so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” We Africans we love life. And we are ready for anything in order to preserve life, even when things are beyond any hope, we always hope for a better tomorrow. Because we trust in God. At times people might say that we have a blind faith. No, we are not, celebration of life is part of our DNA. This is what keeps us moving. We understand Jesus, when he says that he is the Good shepherd who has come to give us life. He who believe in Him will have eternal life. He is the gate through which we have access to life in abundance. There is other way in or out. For he says: “I AM THE WAY, I AM THE LIFE, I AM THE TRUTH.”

So, let us pray for the Shepherds of the Church, that they may lead God’s flock in a godly manner. Let us pray for Pope Francis, that he may continue to show us the way to Jesus. Let us also pray for all those who are in authority, civil as well as religious, that they may follow the example of Jesus the Good shepherd. Finally, as we receive life from Jesus, let us also give life to others, in our own way we are also called to be good shepherds. Come Lord Jesus, Good shepherd. In you I put my trust.

“When the shepherd comes home in peace, the milk is sweet. (Ethiopian proverb)

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