HOMILY FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B. GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
HOMILY THEME: PRAY FOR VOCATIONS
BY: Fr. Mike Lagrimas
John 10:11-18
A priest gets a haircut in the barbershop. When he is about to pay, the barber says, “Father, you’re our pastor, a man of the cloth. Your haircut is free. Go in peace!” The priest profusely thanks the barber and leaves. The next day, the barber is surprised to see 12 gold coins magically appearing on the doorstep of his shop. A week after, a Jewish Rabbi comes in to have his beard trimmed, and when he goes to the cashier to pay, the barber tells him, “Please, no money. You’re a spiritual leader of the Jewish people. Shalom!” The next day, 12 diamonds appear on the doorstep of the shop.
The following week, the town mayor comes in, gets a haircut, goes to pay and the barber says, “No, mayor, you are a good man, the leader of this town. I can’t take any money from you. Have a nice day!” The next day, magically appearing on the doorstep of the barbershop are the 12 town councilors – waiting for a free haircut!
On this fourth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus teaches us about good and true leadership. And he sets himself as the model by using the image of the good shepherd. He takes care of his flock. He leads his sheep to green pastures; he seeks out the lost sheep; and if needed, he is even ready to die for the sake of his sheep.
We have to rejoice that we belong to the flock of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. For, indeed, he continues to take care of us through the ministry of human shepherds he chose – the bishops and priests. This is to ensure that his flock is taken cared of until he comes again. Sadly, however, we see a significant decline in the number of priests as well as in the number of young people entering the seminary. Obviously, not too many of our young people now are interested in the priesthood and religious life. There are different reasons. Foremost of them is the culture of materialism in our time. Many young people enter college solely in view of getting a high-paying job. They are looking for material comfort and luxury, thinking that this is the way to happiness. Unfortunately, they are mistaken.
Rightly, then, that this Sunday is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. I invite you, dear parents and young people, to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We may not be the ones called by God to this kind of vocation, but as Christians, we have the obligation to campaign for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For once, let us seriously consider the value of the priesthood in our life. St. John Marie Vianney, the patron saint of all priests said, “Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail. It is the priest who continues the work of redemption here on earth…What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door? The priest holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of His goods…Leave a parish for twenty years without a priest and they will end by worshiping the beasts there.” Pope Benedict XVI is perfectly right when he said that without priestly ministry “there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church.”
I remember the story of my grandfather. Back in those days, there were no motorboats yet. My hometown is an island and the patron saint is St. Michael the Archangel. One time, my grandfather was coming home in a small boat, and the boatman was at the back with his paddle. When the island town was already in sight, the wind suddenly blew hard and the waves became menacingly huge and turbulent. The boatman was really frightened. My grandfather heard him praying very earnestly, imploring the help of the town’s patron saint: “San Miguel Brewery, please help us!” He saw on the pier the big advertising billboard of San Miguel Beer.
It may be painful but true: many Catholics are “sacramentalized”, but not evangelized. One major reason why many Catholics go to other sects is the lack of doctrinal instruction in our parishes. They have received the sacraments, but they are vaguely aware of many basic doctrines of the Church. Obviously, this is due to the lack of priests. One famous account in the Acts of the Apostles is about the apostle Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Acting on the instruction of the Spirit of God, Philip approached the royal eunuch who was at that time reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch replied, “How can I unless someone instructs me?”
The lack of priests all over the world, even in a Catholic country such as the Philippines, is leaving our people wanting in honest-to-goodn ess instruction in the faith. Most of our pastors are overwhelmed with so many pastoral concerns that they have barely the time and energy to focus on the task of teaching.
This situation is truly a big challenge. There are two steps we have to take. First, let us help in making our people aware of the value and importance of the priesthood and religious life. This is a formidable task, considering the materialistic and egoistic culture we are in now. But it has to be done. If we are zealous in marketing or advertising our business products, why can we not also be more zealous in “marketing” or “advertising” the priesthood to our young people? And the magic word here is “happiness”. In my own experience as a priest for many years, I can say with full conviction that there is real happiness in the priesthood. It is the happiness that comes, not from having and getting more, but in giving of myself, in serving and helping others.
But campaigning for vocations becomes more effective when we take the second step. If Jesus is our Good Shepherd, we must become true members of his flock. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me” (Jn 10:14). As Good Shepherd, “he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice” (Jn 10:4). When we know and follow the Good Shepherd, we become good shepherds ourselves. That is why we know for a fact that priestly vocations usually come from good families where authentic Christian values are taught and lived.
In this Mass, let us pray for our priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians. May God grant them the grace of perseverance in their vocation and ministry. Let us also pray for all families that they become rich seedbeds of vocations as they earnestly follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, calling them to holiness and fullness of life.
Fr. Mike LagrimasÂ
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Palmera Springs 3, Susano Road Camarin, Novaliches, Caloocan City 1422
