HOMILY FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A. (5)

HOMILY FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A. GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY. VOCATIONS SUNDAY.

THEME: WHY SO GOOD?

BY: Fr Andrew Ekpenyong.

1. Joke. Little Johnny was not behaving well both at school and at home. So, his Mom decided to instill some discipline by having him eat his dinner alone at a separate table in a corner of the dining room. The rest of the family paid no attention to little Johnny until they heard him praying loudly: “I thank you Lord for preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Well, little Johnny knew how to use Psalm 23 in his own way. Today, we used this best known Psalm, Psalm 23, which contains the most famous metaphor in Scripture, “the Lord is my Shepherd”, to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. He himself made the claim in the next verse after today’s Gospel reading (Jn 10:1-10), when He exclaimed: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jn 10:11. Then He added: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me”. Jn 10:14. The whole notion of being the Good Shepherd is definitely part of what Scripture scholars term “ipsissima verba”, the very words of our Lord, since He uses this metaphor to define His mission as we heard today: “I came so that they [the sheep] might have life and have it more abundantly.” Jn 10:10.

2. Why so good? Sisters and brothers, in these very words of our Lord, we rediscover how good the Good Shepherd is, and also why so good. How good? He loves us, provides for us through verdant pastures, and still waters. He restores our bodies and souls and protects us through valleys of death. He lays down His life for us. But why so good? Because He identifies with us. He is Emmanuel: God with us. This is the essence of the incarnation, God becoming God-man. He knows us already as God. He knows our friends and enemies and therefore leads us away from danger unto safety. His becoming God-man enables us to relate with Him concretely, to follow Him with love and trust. No wonder He later told Peter after His resurrection and before ascending to prepare eternal pastures for us: “feed my lambs”. “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep”. (Jn 21: 15, 16, 17). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter and the eleven did it as we heard in today’s 1st reading (Acts 2:14a, 36-41). They fed the people with the truth of the Gospel. They boldly proclaimed Christ and called for repentance. With just one homily, 3000 repented and were baptized in one day. And when these Christians found themselves in the valley of death, Peter and other apostles continued to shepherd this flock of God as we heard in today’s 2nd reading (1 Pt 2:20b-25): “Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called because Christ also suffered for you….” Clearly, our Good Shepherd calls each of us to join Him in the task of caring for everyone in various ways. How nice that today is both Good Shepherd Sunday and also World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In his message for this 60th World Day of Prayer for Vocations (30th April, 2023), Pope Francis reminds us: “In all the ways he calls us, God shows infinite creativity”.

3. Vocation. Sisters and brothers, first of all, let us thank all Christian parents who answer the call to Christian marriage and family life. In their generous love for God and for each other, our parents cooperated with God to bring us to existence according to God’s plan. They could have aborted us or neglected us after birth. Let us now thank all missionaries all over the world and throughout the ages. Let us thank European missionaries who answered God’s call and went to Africa and elsewhere to spread the good news. I thank in particular those Irish missionaries who went to Nigeria and not only preached the good news but also believed that God can call and empower young men and women from Africa, to become priests and nuns, to spread the good news. Yes, it was definitely deep faith and trust in Christ the Good Shepherd that enabled those missionaries to believe that young men and women from Africa can receive the gift of celibacy and consecrated virginity for the kingdom of God, to become priests and consecrated persons in a culture with widespread polygamy. I and many others are living testimonies. Likewise, I trust in Christ the Good Shepherd, that right now, God is still calling many young men and women in this parish, in this city, in this country, to become priests, religious brothers and sisters, to spread the truth of the Gospel, in spite of growing secularism and moral deviations. God bless our 22 seminarians of the Archdiocese of Omaha, aged 18 to 42 years old, preparing to become shepherds of souls, under Christ, the Good Shepherd. Amen.

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