Newsletter – Fourth Sunday of Easter A —30th April 2023
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Our First Reading this Sunday is taken from the Acts of the Apostles 2:14a,36-41: Peter and the other apostles baptize 3,000 people.
The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd.
Our Second Reading is 1 Peter 2:20b-25: We have been healed by the wounds of Christ.
This Sunday’s Gospel Reading is John 10:1-10: Jesus is the gate for his sheep.
This fourth Sunday of the Easter season is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday because in each of the three lectionary cycles, the Gospel reading invites us to reflect on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In each cycle the reading is from the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel. This chapter sets the framework for Jesus’ teaching about himself as the Good Shepherd.
Throughout John’s Gospel the Pharisees fail to accept Jesus’ ministry and teaching. They show themselves to be “robbers and thieves” because they try to lead the sheep without entering through the gate, Jesus. Through these metaphors, Jesus is telling his listeners that those who follow him and his way will find abundant life. He identifies himself both as the shepherd and the gate. The shepherds who are faithful to him are the ones whom the sheep (Jesus’ disciples) should follow. The relationship between the sheep and their shepherd is based on familiarity. Sheep recognize their shepherd and will not follow a stranger.
Today’s Gospel also gives us the opportunity to reflect on Christian leadership. Jesus’ words suggest to us that those who will lead the Christian community will be known by their faithfulness to Jesus. The leaders will recognize that Jesus is the gate for all of the sheep and that having a good relationship with Jesus is the primary characteristic of a Christian leader. Jesus’ allegory also suggests that faithful Christian leadership requires a good relationship with the community: the shepherd knows his sheep, and they know him. Christian leaders follow the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by being faithful to him and by being a good shepherd.
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