THE LAMB WILL BE THEIR SHEPHERD

IV SUNDAY OF EASTER - John 10:27-30

Pope Leo XIV has just been elected to be the shepherd of the Church to promote the unity and strengthen the communion within the Church. His first Sunday mass as Pope will be the Good Shepherd Sunday. We are invited to pray for our shepherds and reflect upon their stewardship. 

By the will of the Lord, in the Church, there are shepherds to whom he entrusted the responsibility of guiding, protecting, and defending the sheep. They must have Jesus Christ as their role model. He is the Good Shepherd who gives life to his sheep. With Jesus, “they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.” Entrusting Simon Peter with the stewardship of his Church, Jesus insisted: “Feed my lambs”, “tend my sheep”, and “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15-17). The Pope was given a role that was not entrusted to others.

Jesus has endowed the Church with gifts and equipped “the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12).  In the Church, there is a great variety of gifts, and all those who receive them must cooperate and work in harmony for the Good of the Church. The apostles and the shepherds are called to be at the forefront, leading the way to the Kingdom of God.

Even though all Christians are called to give witness to Jesus Christ, the shepherds must be qualified witnesses, keeping the whole Church faithful to Jesus Christ. In his letter to the Romans, Paul recommends an attitude of service in the ministers and advises “the one who leads” to do it “with zeal” (Rm 12:8). It is a duty of the shepherds to lead the sheep to Jesus Christ, and all must listen to His voice and follow Him,

The second reading, taken from Revelation (Apocalypse), speaks of the Lamb as the true shepherd who “will lead them (the sheep) to springs of living water”. In Him, we will find life and salvation. All those who washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb and will “stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.” (Rev 7:9,14-17). May we be counted among them and with them sing the praises of the Lord.

In this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are invited to pray earnestly for the Pope, the Bishops and the priests, mainly those who have people entrusted to their care. Let us pray for many vocations as well. May the Lord grant his Church good shepherds.